Three Weeks
by Caitlin-Chan
Summary: (Sequel to Vanished) A very serious desision is in Boss's paws, but what is he supposed to say or do?
1. Mike and Stella Have a New Plan

A few hours after where I left off...  
  
"Tomorrow's Tuesday, isn't it?" Hamtaro asked Caitlin. "I believe so," she replied. Caitlin sighed and mumbled, "I wish Boss liked me back." "Don't fret," he remarked. "I bet he does. I could ask him tomorrow, but right now I don't think he's too much in a good mood, even if he was in a scuffle with Mike a few hours ago."  
Hamtaro and Caitlin were sitting on a branch outside the clubhouse. The two liked to sit in the same place and talk about how things were going. Caitlin would say her problem and ask for advice from Hamtaro. Hamtaro would also do the same thing.  
After they finished their conversation about their problems, it was time to go home. "Had a rough day?" Howdy asked them. He hadn't had a chance to ask any questions about Zinco. Hamtaro and Caitlin shook their heads in unison. "I thought so," he remarked.  
Hamtaro and Oxnard walked home together. "How was that planet you went to?" Oxnard questioned. "Rough," Hamtaro replied. "Yeah, I guess it'd be rough," he remarked. "I can't believe Mike and Stella went after you all." "Me neither," Hamtaro answered.  
Hamtaro and Oxnard came to the end of the tunnel. "I'm hoping I get a break from Mike and Stella," Oxnard mumbled. "Heh, you should be glad you're not in my slot," Hamtaro remarked. "They think that I'm the hero in everything so the next thing they're going to do is get rid of me. Pretty bad. If you know what I'm saying. I just wish Laura could help us..."  
"I'll see ya tomorrow," Oxnard said. "Bye-Q!" Hamtaro bade good-bye. If only they could talk to their owners...  
  
With Mike and Stella...  
  
"What kind of plan are you talking about?" Stella asked while she and Mike were in their private meeting room. "You stole a Lamborghini, school bus, and a police car! What are you going to do?!" Mike smiled his eternal, toothy grin of his and said, "It's against those pathetic Ham-Hams and their stupid leader. I've got the best plan in the world...to take over the world! But we have to wait until the plan is constructed and finished in three weeks from this Wednesday." "What are we going to do? Go to another city and take them all there where they dunno their way back so they have to join?" Stella questioned. "I haven't thought of that...but it's a good plan! Better than the one I had!" he responded. "Now, let me take a look..." Stella mumbled as she pulled a laptop from Mike. She read it quickly and said, "Why don't we...?"  
While Stella talked, Mike changed the plan around. "Is that good?" she asked after she finished talking. He smiled his grin again and said, "It's perfect! That's the spirit of an assistant!" Stella smiled pleasantly with praise. Mike yelled, "Bad Hams! We'll do this amazing plan tomorrow night! It's juicy!" 


	2. A Conversation Between Boss, Caitlin and...

Back at the clubhouse...  
  
Caitlin and Jingle were still at the clubhouse. Caitlin sighed as she waited for Boss to come back and talk. He entered with a pile of sunflower seeds and muttered, "What's the talk?" "Well..." she mumbled, "it's about Mike and Stella. Are they ever going to be good?" "They'd pretend," Jingle shouted, "so they could get into the clubhouse!" "I wouldn't let them in even if they were sleepwalking," Boss mumbled. "Never thought of that..." Caitlin said to herself.  
"I wish they'd leave us alone for three weeks," Boss murmured. "It'd feel like we were on an island in the sun." Caitlin wondered about that for a minute and whispered, "Yeah, just you and me..." "If they had another plan," Jingle shouted, "they'd have you involved all the way through!" "Yeah, think of the times we've encountered," he replied. "Jingle, you should be glad you weren't here the day before you arrived! It was-" "Awful!" Caitlin interrupted.  
Caitlin grabbed for a sunflower seed and started to eat it. *Krmp- Krmp* "Well," Boss mumbled, "I guess that ends that. Anyhow, what did you do today?" "Nothin'," Jingle murmured. "You know what I did," Caitlin responded.  
"I guess the meeting's over between us no-owner hamsters," Jingle remarked as he finished a sunflower seed. "I just pray to the Lord they don't come tomorrow night because I'm going to a music club." "I'll be OK with my shovel," Boss replied as he cocked his head. Feels like everyone thinks I'm just a kid like Penelope now! he thought. "There hasn't been a night encounter," Caitlin said. "Only aliens do night encounters, like when they abduct people to do tests on. It's freaky I've heard."  
Caitlin walked to the door a few minutes later and said, "Good night y'all. Sweet dreams-" "Good night!" Jingle shouted. "-Boss," she said and closed the door. "Yeah?" Boss asked and noticed she went out the door. Jingle noted what she said previously and began to snicker. Boss cocked his head again and mumbled, "I just can't hear today." 


	3. That Next Day

The next day...  
  
Hamtaro sighed as he entered the clubhouse. Oxnard had gotten sick and Kana was going to take him to the vet after she came home from school. "Where's Oxnard?" Boss asked. "He's sick," he replied. Caitlin walked over silently. "I had a dream last night," she mumbled. "A nightmare to be exact. It was that Mike and Stella and the Bad Hams went to a different place and cooked up a plan that was against us." "Scary," Hamtaro muttered. "It's scarier than a cat if it has Mike and Stella in it, along with the Bad Hams."  
The only ones that came were them, Howdy, Dexter, Bijou, Sandy, and Stan. Of course Jingle and Snoozer were already there. "What are we gonna do, dude?" Stan asked. The girls were in the corner talking. "`Oui," Bijou remarked, "tis scary if you have a dream with Mike and Stella. Especially if we all are in the dream." "I never thought of that," Sandy mumbled. "That'd be so scary, maybe even, like, freaky!" "I never thought of that because the only Ham-Hams in my dream were Boss and me," Caitlin remarked. "Oh!" the two other girls giggled. She blushed and yelled, "You better not tell him!" "We won't," Bijou said.  
The boys came over and asked, "What?" "Nothing!" Caitlin yelled. "Don't worry," Stan remarked, "I love you too." "Stan!" Sandy shouted. "This isn't about you!" "Then who?" Boss asked. "Uh...no one..." the girls murmured. I know what they're talking about, Hamtaro thought. Caitlin told me two days ago and again yesterday.  
Everyone sat at the table in boredom, like the last few days. "How 'bout we play a game?" Hamtaro questioned. "What game?" Dexter asked. "Oh! I gotta joke!" Howdy shouted. "We don't want to hear it!" Dexter scolded. "Why not?!" he retorted. "Because they're stupid!" he replied.  
As they continued to have that quarrel, the rest of the Ham-Hams went outside. "I wish they wouldn't fight all the time!" Caitlin yelled. She was the one to always say those remarks. "Yeah, I agree," Boss murmured. Caitlin blushed mildly and hid her face with her paws. *Kushi-Kushi*  
Pretty soon, the Ham-Hams noticed it was later then they thought. "Golly," Sandy muttered, "it's already lunch." 


	4. Food Poisoning

With Mike and Stella...  
  
Mike and Stella snuck around the storage room in the clubhouse. "Food poison," Mike said. "I'd never think of food poisoning him!" "Yeah, I'm smart," Stella responded proudly. "Good thing we got food poisoned sunflower seeds. We'll put it where only he can get it and he'll be food poisoned!"  
Mike and Stella had the seeds in a sack and set it down. "There," Mike remarked. "I hope he's the only one that gets 'em." "Where's the car?" she asked as she noticed they were coming inside. "It's in the back of the clubhouse," he mumbled as they ran.  
Mike stepped in the car while Stella jumped into it. "How fast?" Mike questioned as he put the key in the ignition. "As fast as you want," she replied as he sped off.  
  
With the Ham-Hams...  
  
Boss opened the storage room and saw the sunflower seeds. It had a tag and it said it was for him. "Maybe..." he mumbled as he grabbed the sack and got the rest of the food for everyone else.  
"What's in the bag?" Dexter asked. "It's for me, and you can see," he remarked. He took a look at it and mumbled, "Yes, it is addressed to you." Boss snickered as he reached in. "Make sure it's not food poisoned!" Howdy shouted. "Why?" he asked. He shrugged as his reply.  
After a while, they were finished eating. "What's up with you, Boss Man?" Caitlin asked as she looked at his face. The color was drained from it and he looked sick. "Did you not look on the back of the tag?" Hamtaro queried. "When someone sends you a bag of bad sunflower seeds, they have their name on the back because they want you to know they had revenge on you." "I forgot about that," Boss mumbled as he turned the tag over. "I'm gonna kill," he shouted. "Who's it from?" they asked. "Look for yourselves," Boss murmured. "Excuse me."  
He ran out of the room like lightning. Hamtaro grabbed the tag and shouted, "It's from Mike and Stella!" "Then it's food poisoning!" Dexter and Howdy said in unison. "We knew!"  
Boss came back in and mumbled, "I'm back...ugh!" "What happened?" Caitlin asked. "You don't know and you don't wanna know," Boss replied. "I know what happened!" Howdy yelled. "He threw-" "That's enough, Howdy!" Dexter scolded.  
A few hours afterward, it was time to go home. "Boss is still sick," Jingle remarked when he came out of Boss's bedroom. "Of course, it doesn't matter if anyone wants to get revenge on them," Stan said, "they always get their share." "No one, like, likes them," Sandy responded. "Why exactly are they evil?" Bijou asked. "I dunno," Hamtaro muttered. 


	5. A Conversation Between Boss and Caitlin

The Ham-Hams bade Jingle and Caitlin good-bye. They were to stay late again. Jingle and Caitlin stayed at the table. "Should we go into Boss's room and include him?" Jingle asked. She nodded and they opened the door. "Are ya feeling better?" Caitlin asked. "Yeah, I'm almost ready to get up again. Is everyone else gone?" Boss asked. "Yes, they are," she replied. "Good," he mumbled as he sat up.  
"What are we gonna talk about this evening?" Boss asked. Caitlin and Jingle shrugged. "I'm just glad today is over," Caitlin mumbled. "Yeah..." Boss muttered. Caitlin blushed mildly and rubbed her forehead. *Kushi-Kushi* "Why do you do that?" Jingle asked. She shrugged and said, "Tomorrow Wednesday? Already?" "I guess so," Jingle mumbled. "Well, anyhow, I gotta go now. To the music club I've got to go to. I'll see ya later tonight." Jingle closed the door behind him.  
"Well, I guess it's just you and me," Boss said. "You're not spending the night, are ya?" "I want to," she replied. "Are you sure you aren't still sick from food poisoning?" "Of course I'm sure!" he shouted. "OK, whatever," Caitlin muttered.  
They sat for a while at the main table talking about Mike and Stella. They knew they couldn't hide the Ham-Hams from them forever. "They're gonna come at one point," Caitlin said, "and kill you and take over." "Don't scare me like that," Boss pleaded. "Or they'll spare your life and kill the Ham-Hams because of you," Caitlin continued. "Or maybe Mike would skin ya and-" "That's enough!" Boss scolded. "The first one was already spooky enough! And to continue! They might be watchin'! You could give them ideas!" "I forgot about that..." she remarked. "Sorry 'bout that. I was just saying they ARE gonna come and do something and they'll get us when we're least expecting it..." Boss sighed as she continued saying all the possibilities of what Mike and Stella could do.  
After a while, Boss said, "Can you go home?" "I'm not sure..." Caitlin muttered. "I don't like leaving you here alone..." "By golly! Would you quit that and just leave me alone?!" he feuded. Caitlin looked at him and said, "Well, can I at least sleep in-" "No! Go home! I got rid of Jingle, and I'm gonna get rid of you!" Boss steamed as she turned around. "Well," Caitlin mumbled, "don't blame me if Mike and Stella were watching and they have a plan that might be against you tonight. May I remind you they're smarter than you? Anyhow, good night, Boss." She closed the door behind her and started to walk home.  
Caitlin stopped outside the clubhouse. I'm gonna go over there... she thought. She walked over to the Bad Hams Place and noticed the cars Mike had stolen were gone. "Heke?" Caitlin said and opened the front door. She ran to the surveillance room and turned pale immediately. No one was there. "I've gotta get to Jingle!" Caitlin yelled and ran out.  
  
With Boss...  
  
As he cleaned his bedroom a little, Boss muttered, "I wonder how Caitlin can think of that stuff." It wasn't that she wanted to. It was that Caitlin always had random thoughts that she always talked about.  
  
With Caitlin...  
  
"Err...I dunno where this music club is..." Caitlin mumbled as she walked around her room. "I can't go alone. It's too dangerous. What the heck am I supposed to do without anyone around for me to tell about this problem?!" Caitlin sat down on her bed and eventually fell asleep. 


	6. KIDNAPPED!

Back with Boss...  
  
Boss paced his bedroom as he mumbled, "Caitlin worries me. What if she's right? Dern it, I shoulda gotten more knowledge of that random thought of hers. I barely know the girl and I think she knows a lot about Mike and Stella. Dern it again. What am I supposed to do? Heck, I dunno what I'm even talking about! What if she knows what they do? Where does Mike get all that money that makes him wealthy? Heck!" He paused and said, "I wonder how Caitlin knows that stuff...we know she spies on them, but how without being caught?"  
Boss sat down on his bed and thought for a while. "Heck!" he shouted after a minute. "I wish I could get a good night's sleep these days! Stupid Mike and dumber Stella!" Boss laid down and thought, Heck, I wish I could stop thinking of the-the-... He had fallen asleep before he could finish his thought.  
It'd been an hour Boss had been asleep before he heard whispering. Heck... he thought. I wish some dreams didn't exist...like nightmares... Boss rolled over and put his paws over his ears. The whispering stopped, but the action had begun. Something seized both of his wrists and started pulling upward. "Hey!" Boss yelled and opened his eyes.  
He noticed he was now on his two feet and being pushed forward. It was dark, so he wasn't able to see. You know what that means... Boss thought. Dern it! The girl was right! There are aliens! Boss noticed he was being led outside because he could feel the warm summer night upon his face. "Who's talking now?" a voice boomed.  
Boss looked about and noticed a lot of things that he should've known. The speaker was Mike with Stella beside him with her arms crossed. Their eyes were coldly hostile as they stood in place. Boss didn't dare speak because he knew where speaking would get him into trouble. Mike gave him "the grin" and Boss knew immediately he was laughing at him. It was just so obvious because it was the same eternal grin that Mike gave him on the first day they met.  
Boss then noticed that Number 1 and Number 2 were behind him. They were way stronger than a few days ago. I'm only gonna think this once, but... he thought, ...heck. That was the only thing to think. He was half- asleep and they didn't show any sleepiness in their hostile eyes and they were already to take any darn attack or defense. Maybe I'll think it a few times... Boss thought.  
Number 1 and Number 2 started pushing him into the police car. Heck... he thought. There's no way out of this sticky situation...until later... The two Bad Hams closed and locked the door as Boss looked around. He noticed Mike and Stella were taking a different car. Number 1 and Number 2 were driving this one. Heck...heck...heck...heck...heck... Boss thought over and over again as he sat upward.  
  
After a few hours...  
  
Boss put his chin in his paw and rested his elbow on his other paw. It had been four hours and it was about 3 A.M. in the morning. He had gotten used to the usual conversation of the two Bad Hams in the front. They talked either about him, Stella, or girls. He never spoke up during the ride unless they asked him a question or spoke to him directly.  
Pretty soon, they went into a tunnel that led deep into a hill. Boss didn't see what the outside was, but hoped to know. Soon, they were parking inside a garage. Number 1 and Number 2 stepped out and left Boss in for a minute. Mike was talking to them, probably what to do to him. He got a chill up and down his spine as they opened the door. They seized him by the wrists again and pulled him through a door.  
It wasn't the best thing in the world inside the door, not that Boss cared. He followed Mike, and finally Mike turned around. "Go on, Number 1 and Number 2," he muttered as he opened a door. Boss was pushed in it and the door was locked behind him. Heck... he thought as he looked around. It was probably an exact replica of a jail cell. Except it had the bathroom in a different room. I guess this is better than anything else, not that I care, Boss thought. 


	7. The Discovery Made by Jingle

With Jingle...  
  
Jingle walked into the clubhouse with a cheerful smile and a glistening golden trophy. "I won the contest!" he shouted with glee. "Huh?" Jingle looked around and noticed the destruction that was in the clubhouse. "What h-h-h-happened?!" Jingle yelled and busted open the door to Boss's bedroom. He noted what he saw and mumbled reluctantly, "Th-th- they c-c-came... What am I supposed to say? Or do? This truly is the end..."  
  
In the morning at the clubhouse...  
  
Jingle was awake until about 5 A.M. He'd been only thinking of the safety of the Ham-Hams but didn't know what to expect. Caitlin darted in and yelled, "Boss! Jingle! I gotta tell you something!" "Caitlin..." Jingle muttered. "...look for yourself..."  
Caitlin looked around and shouted, "I've got to get Hamtaro! He's the only one who can help now!" "But what will he do?" he asked. "If we don't know, then he won't know." "How do you know?!" she fussed. "Hamtaro might be the one who will save us all! How many times has he saved us? Huh?" "Bunches, I'm sure," Jingle replied, "but no one knows what to do yet... By the way, what were you going to say?" "Well..." Caitlin mumbled and explained what she saw the previous night. "Let's go fetch Hamtaro then," Jingle muttered afterward.  
  
Back with Boss...  
  
Boss was still awake. I had an hour's sleep and that's all I need to survive a day, he thought. But, err...I'm not sure what will happen. Caitlin may be right. They may have brought me out here to kill me on the spot or make the Ham-Hams suffer. Or, of course, we all might get murdered. Then again, I don't want to die! I'm too young! Boss sat upward like he was awake, but the black circles under his eyes showed sleepiness.  
A boisterous knock came from the door, and he knew immediately what he was up for. Number 1 and Number 2 were in the doorway, apprehended him, and took him into the walkway. Boss didn't dare ask a question because he reminded himself where it'd get him if he muttered a line.  
The two Bad Hams halted in front of the door and knocked softer than earlier. Boss didn't want to go in, so he disregarded. Number 1 kicked him in the heel, and Boss started to walk again. Mike was in the other room. "How are you? Oh! Let me guess...awful!" he condescended. Mike started to laugh like Boss would imagine he'd do...  
  
ONCE AGAIN.  
  
"Anyhow, skipping that," Mike muttered, "look at you now! You're not the same proud, unexpecting, young hamster that I had met a few days ago! Ha! Ain't it funny? Look at the downfall you had! Where's that hamster now? Huh?" Boss thought about that for a minute...it was true. How did Mike do it? How could he fall so quickly? Or did he do it to himself?  
"Listen here," Mike muttered. "Number 1. Number 2. Leave the room. Right away." The two looked at each other and gave a hostile glare to Boss as they exited. "I want you to listen and tell me what you think," he murmured. "I don't have anything to do with you, Mike," Boss replied. "This," Mike retorted, "is for your own sake, not mine. It's your choice in three weeks. To give up those so-called 'friends' to me or I make your life misery for the rest of its pitiful time or I do something else... Do you understand? Three weeks is all I'm giving you, no more or less than that. If you do so choose to say yes to give up those pathetic Ham-Hams, you shall be treated like a me around here. I can control that because I'm commander of everything around here. But if you choose not to say yes, I'll have to have the Bad Hams let you suffer a few things, then I shall kill you in an instant, and that'll be it of you. Then you have no control on this earth for eternity and the Ham-Hams are automatically mine."  
Boss paused and thought a minute. He couldn't do that to the Ham- Hams. He wouldn't ever give them up, even if he had to be agonized and be tormented and or be murdered by Mike himself.  
Number 1 and Number 2 came in again pushed him out of the room without letting Boss reply. They threw him back in the cell and left him alone. Boss sat down and thought, I did this to myself, but Mike refuses to say it. Maybe if I say I did it to myself, he'll get really mad. But where will that get me? No where. I have three weeks, starting now. Dern it, what am I supposed to say? The Ham-Hams wouldn't want me dead, and they wouldn't want me to give them up, even if Mike did what he said. I can't live three weeks with these Hams and have a decision in twenty-one days!  
There was food before him, but he didn't want to eat. I'll die slowly if I have to, Boss thought. I'd rather commit suicide than be murdered by my worst enemy. "I'm going on a hunger strike," Boss mumbled and laid on the ground. "I wonder what the Ham-Hams are doin' right about now..." 


	8. Telling Hamtaro

With Hamtaro...  
  
Hamtaro watched as Laura got ready for school. "Hamtaro," Laura said, "how do these clothes look for school?" "Heke?" he questioned loudly. "Oh," Laura muttered, "you couldn't tell me even if you could talk."  
Caitlin hid behind her desk along with Jingle. They had come when Hamtaro was awake, but before Laura was. Caitlin was to tell Hamtaro the news, but she hadn't a chance to tell him previously.  
After Laura went downstairs to eat breakfast before school, Caitlin and Jingle uncovered themselves. "What were you going to tell me, Caitlin?" Hamtaro asked. "Come," she mumbled and she opened his carrier's door. "It's horrible," Jingle said in awe. "I guess it's about the Bad Hams since Boss is not with you," he replied. "That's the point," Caitlin remarked reluctantly. "See, those Bad Hams came last night to the clubhouse with Mike and Stella, and somehow they are planning to get back at us...by taking him." "You're lying?" Hamtaro shouted. "No, we are not," Jingle acknowledged.  
Hamtaro thought, I wonder what Mike and Stella are going to do... It seems impossible to do anything if we don't go over there and do something about it. "Say, are they at the Bad Hams Place? That might be your answer," he replied, hopeful of a solution. "We went before we came here," Jingle remarked. I officially say this, he thought. I dislike them even more. I'm told by Laura everyday even though she doesn't think I can make since out of it, "Never hate. It's OK to dislike." I guess I might be able to break the rule once in a while, but I'll try not to.  
Once they got back at the clubhouse, Howdy, Dexter, Pashmina, Penelope, and Bijou were already there. "What happened here?" Bijou asked as she looked around at the destruction. "Boss didn't go insane?" Howdy yelled. "Did he? If he did, he'd leave a note on the table saying he decided to dip his head in black paint and jump in the river?" "Howdy!" Caitlin boomed angrily. "This is serious! Boss didn't go insane, he was kidnapped by those Bad Hams and Mike and Stella! Now what do you not understand? And who would go insane and jump in the river? Jingle didn't go to sleep until five this morning because he was looking all over this place!" "Ookyoo!" Penelope yelled from Boss's bedroom. "I dunno, he may've gone insane now I assume," Howdy assumed. "Do you not know what assuming makes out of you and me?" Caitlin yelled. "Look at the darn spelling and ya might know!"  
"What is it, Penelope?" Pashmina yelled. She started to run around the passageway that led to the outside tunnels from Boss's room. "Let's check it out," Dexter mumbled as they opened the door. "I am so scared," Bijou cried to Hamtaro. "Gosh," Caitlin muttered and sniffed the air. *Hif-Hif* "I think I smell something like gasoline!" she yelled. Hamtaro started sniffing and he too caught the scent.  
They raced to the end of the tunnel and noticed there were tire marks in the fresh ground. "They..." Howdy mumbled and Hamtaro finished, "Went to another town. A long way from here. Let's wait until the rest of the Ham-Hams get here."  
  
With Boss...  
  
Boss continued lying on the floor. Nothing came to mind, and if a thought came, it never slipped away from his mind. There was nothing to do, unless it was to try to open the door and escape from this unknown place. But before Boss decided to do anything, the Bad Hams had come again. It was about midmorning. Mike and Stella were with them. "So, it's the downfallen leader of the Ham-Hams once again we visit," Mike said as slowly and as proud as his pride. Not that Boss really cared if he said anything or not. The only thing Boss gave them was a glare. One that he hadn't done before: it was a glare that most people didn't use unless they're in trouble.  
He didn't dare move toward or away from Mike. In Worst Case Scenario: Travel, Boss thought, it says to keep calm in these kinds of hostage situations. But how long out of three weeks does that book think I can stay calm and do everything they say? And to only speak up if they talk to you directly? Heck! It says not to look at the terrorist directly in the eyes, but I don't think it'd change a thing! Heck again! How long can I keep from going insane, which I probably will be like some Hams I've heard about!  
He looked around and noticed all of the Bad Hams were here this time. Dern it, dern it, dern it, Boss repeated in his head. He knew what they had come to do. When Number 1 and Number 2 came up, it was obvious: they had come to do something bad to him. So when he was dragged out of the room and taken into another, Boss knew for sure what he was up for. 


	9. Pure Torture

At the clubhouse...  
  
The rest of the Ham-Hams were at the clubhouse now, except Sandy and Stan were searching the Bad Hams Place since no one was there. "How do we know for sure they went to a different town?" Oxnard asked. "They could've decided to go home! But...how long does he have until they come for the rest of us?" Hamtaro replied, "I dunno..."  
"Found something!" Stan yelled and the door flew open. "The Dumb Hams left the plan they're going to do on their computer and the password for the screensaver was off." Caitlin snatched it from him and read quickly. "Get it away from me!" she yelled and threw it at him. "Pure evil!" "What?!" Stan shouted and read it for the first time. "You mean you haven't read it yet?" Sandy scolded. "I...I can't read!" Stan shouted and gave it to Maxwell. "OK," Maxwell mumbled, "here we go."  
Maxwell read it aloud to the awaiting Ham-Hams. "And I think that's it..." he muttered as he set it down. Everyone looked around. "I think they didn't have half of what they're going to do!" Caitlin protested. Oxnard whispered, "You know what you told me the other night, Hamtaro? I think that's the only reason she's mad. She didn't get to stay at the clubhouse to spend the night like she's been saying, and Boss has gone missing, you know?" "I know, Oxnard," Hamtaro replied as everyone looked at the printed-off document Stan and Sandy had gotten.  
"What are we gonna do?" Jingle muttered as he looked around. "Can anyone answer that?" The Ham-Hams looked around the room at each other. "What we're gonna do is we're gonna go over there and fight for our lives!" Caitlin yelled. "And everyone else's! If they get by us, they can surely get by anyone else and eventually take over the humans also! Do you know what I'm telling you?!" Hamtaro sat and thought about what she said.  
  
Along with Boss...  
  
It was about nighttime now. Boss had not eaten all day and was starving by now. I can't eat, he thought. I'm on a hunger strike. Man, I wonder how long I can take this. The good thing about food is that you can't go three days without it. Besides, they wouldn't take me to the hospital after what I've been through today. They showed me visually what their purpose was...  
Boss was lying on the floor again. He remembered what kind of day he went through. Mike called it "The First Day"...  
  
*FLASHBACK OF THE FIRST DAY*  
  
When he was thrown in this new room, Mike mumbled, "Now, this is only for the first day. This will only happen three times. But we may do it more if I decide to do so." Boss knew what they were going to do: they were going to abuse him, as in beat him up. Mike whispered a few things to the awaiting Bad Hams. How could they take pleasure in stuff like that?  
Click! Click! The tapping of multiple whips on the ground filled the silence in his ears. Dern it, dern it, dern it, Boss repeated in his mind as he felt the violent contact thrash into his back. The blows were hard enough to make a red mark appear on the surface of Boss's fur. It inflicted pain across his hunger-stricken stomach that hurt like the dickens. But it didn't stop the blows from coming. It just caused more preying upon his back.  
Soon, the blows became deep cuts with his blood upon his fur. Boss laid there a minute and heaved air and held on to it when a sharp punt went into his back. "Let's go," Mike mumbled and kicked him again. I can't stand this three more times, Boss thought. How would anybody be able to? Heh, well, I guess that's it for now, at least I hope.  
Boss picked himself up but fell back down to the floor. The last thing he remembered was a sharp blow in the back of his head...  
  
*END OF FLASHBACK*  
  
Boss shook his head and touched the back of it. The blow hadn't caused a cut even though it felt like it had. There was nothing really to do now but watch what happened. And whenever there was a chance, he'd flee from this place. 


	10. The Third Day

The third day...  
  
Boss hadn't eaten in three days and it was killing him, literally. He had lost a lot of weight because he was used to eating a bundle back at the clubhouse. But the only reason he did it was that he didn't want to say yes to the deal and he didn't want to get killed by Mike.  
Mike had actually noticed the weight change. He knew it was normal to lose a little, but not fifty-five percent of their body weight. "Stella," Mike muttered seriously to her. They were in their private meeting room. "I've noticed something," he said in a low tone. "I've noticed our dear friend has gone on a hunger strike. And this is the third day he hasn't eaten. He'll have killed himself before a week is up." "And why do you care?" Stella questioned. "Well, if he wants to be dead, I want to darn do it!" Mike yelled and pounded the table in front of him.  
Stella gave him a look and said, "We couldn't take him to the hospital to get a dern IV shot. There's just no way. Let him be and die on his own." "I'm not letting him die!" Mike scolded. "Do you actually think I was serious about murdering him?! I wanted him to say yes to the darn deal!" "Then take him to the hospital yourself with the Bad Hams in the bus and let them keep watch at the door. I'll go in with you," Stella mumbled.  
Mike shouted, "How come you're so much smarter at this plan than me?!" "Because I know what other people are thinking," she mumbled. "But those darn Ham-Hams have probably notified the police around here." "You've a point," Mike muttered. "But they don't know exactly where we are," Stella remarked. "Rarely anyone knows where this location is. Same with the other one, except we were discovered there."  
Mike thought for a while about what Stella had said previously. "Well, I guess we'll have to do what you said. But wouldn't it be abnormal for a bus full of black hamsters to be parked in front of a hospital? Same with the bus?" Mike inquired. "I'm not sure," Stella mumbled. "It'd be abnormal for two to come in a hospital with a man that's barely bigger than you are." "We can pretend this," Mike said and they continued to talk.  
  
At the clubhouse...  
  
Hamtaro had begun to wonder when they'd go and find the Bad Hams. Caitlin was just as mad as she was two days ago. She had been acting and replying rudely to everyone except Hamtaro and Sandy, probably because they understood how she actually felt.  
Everyone was feeling a little blue. No one knew what to truly feel. They knew something was going to happen in three weeks...  
Pashmina looked at the time and said, "Penelope and I better get back to our owners." "Why?" Howdy and Dexter asked in unison. "Penelope and I are going with our owners to a park four hours away from here," she replied. "Ookyoo!" Penelope shouted. "Tell us what happens there," Hamtaro told her. Pashmina nodded and went out the door with Penelope. 


	11. The Hamster Doctor

With Mike and Stella...  
  
Mike and Stella had told the Bad Hams what they were planning to do. They knew Mike didn't actually want to kill him and knew, so they followed through. There was something weird about that enemy relationship Mike had...but no one said anything about it.  
Mike and Stella waited outside while the Bad Hams went to get Boss. When they brought him out to the car, Mike and Stella had to have him in the same car. Mike didn't worry because he had one of his prized guns and daggers under his seat where no one else could get it. Boss didn't say a word to Mike or Stella as they started to drive. I wonder what they're gonna do? he thought as they exited the big tunnel he had entered two nights ago.  
Outside, it was a beautiful playground for humans. There was a beautiful red merry-go-round near the park exit. Swings lined near the hill where he stayed. Over a few hills and across the river there was a beautiful hamster civilization. It had a police station, mall, Pizza Hut, and a hospital at the front of it. The suburbs were behind on the back streets. There were plenty of beautiful houses that were made like humans' houses. Boss sat stunned at the sight. It was one of the most beautiful places he had been before in his life...  
Pretty soon, the car parked in front of the hospital. I'd be da- he thought but the thought was interrupted with another thought. They must know what I'm doing. They took me to get an IV shot. Mike's probably thinking if I'm going to die, he'd be the one to kill me.  
The Bad Hams had parked off to the side of the hospital so they could see everything that came out. He had his chance to escape, but didn't realize it. Boss was too stunned. And hungry.  
He was rushed inside and he was in front of a desk inside the hospital with Mike and Stella at his side. Mike said, "Hello, Nurse." Nurse looked and said, "And who's this you're with?" "He's our adopted son," Stella replied. Dern it, Boss thought, I'm related to Mike and Stella.  
"And why's he on a hunger strike?" she asked after a few other questions. "Does it matter?" Stella yelled. Nurse shook her head. "He got grounded," Mike retorted. "Not a very good reason, but I guess good enough to get an intravenous shot," Nurse replied. "So, his name is?" Mike hadn't thought of that and he disliked saying Boss's name. He swallowed hard and mumbled, "His name is...Boss." "OK...err...I guess that's a good name," she replied. (Man, they don't ask nothin' barely!!! They don't ask for a birth certificate! Wait, hamsters are different from humans...)  
Nurse took them back to a room and said, "I'll be right back with Doctor." Why do their parents give them names like that? Mike thought as she closed the door.  
In a few minutes, Doctor was in the room with Nurse. "An IV shot, eh?" he mumbled as Mike yelled, "Get it over with!" "Patience, my friend, patience," Nurse said as Doctor took the IV shot from her paw. It was a long needle that had a tube that connected to a pouch of clear liquid. Nurse tried to get Boss to lay back onto the table, but Boss watched as the needle came up to his fur. They can't do this, he thought. He couldn't help but knock the needle away from the surface of his skin and run out.  
Boss didn't care what was in his way, he just ran straight through it. He made it to the door before anyone had a chance to go after him. Boss didn't care if the Bad Hams started after him, he just ran for his life.  
When the Bad Hams saw him, they jumped out and started running after Boss. But he was a faster runner than them. Pretty soon, he noticed he was out of the beautiful civilization and back in the playground for human kids. The first thing he ran for was the merry-go-round. 


	12. Pashmina and Penelope

With Pashmina, Penelope, and their owners...  
  
Pashmina and Penelope had been brought to a park with their owners, June and Kylie. They were on the red merry-go-round when Pashmina thought, I think I see one of the Ham-Hams...oh my gosh! That's not any Ham-Ham, that's Boss!  
Boss was still running, but he was getting slower and slower. Pashmina couldn't leave June because then she'd find out about the clubhouse. Instead she yelled, "Boss! Over here!" Boss saw her and sceamed, "Don't leave me here! Let me come with you! Get the Ham-Hams and come back!" By the time he got to the last sentence, he was crying by the bucket fulls.  
Penelope noticed him and started yelling to Pashmina, "Ookwee! Ookwee!" "I know Penelope!" Pashmina said and looked back. She saw the Bad Hams coming up. June looked down at Pashmina's terrified face and said, "Kylie, I think we ought to go. Pashmina and Penelope are getting tired and some animal's scaring them. And our parents are calling us." Pashmina and Penelope took one last look at Boss and faced their owners as they ran to their parents.  
On the other hand, Boss took one last look and stopped. They're not coming back, he thought and collapsed on the ground. He didn't care if those Bad Hams caught him this way or not. Boss pounded the ground and thought over and over, They're not coming back, they're not coming back, they're not coming back.  
The tears came rolling down as fast as he thought of the fact the Ham- Hams weren't coming back. Boss tried to wipe away the tears before Mike came, but it was too late. "What do we have here?" Mike yelled behind him. He didn't turn or respond in any way. "Answer me," he said in a venomous voice. Boss didn't care what he said; he was going to weep until he died.  
A sharp punt went into his side as he turned toward Mike finally. There was no pain or sorrow or kindness in his cold eyes. "What do we have here?" he demanded. "Me," Boss hesitated. "Exactly," he retorted. "Now get your sorry ass off the ground and come back with me to get that IV."  
  
Back at the clubhouse...  
  
Hamtaro was thinking for a long time. What if he thinks we'll never go find him? Man, I'd be thinking the same thing he was thinking now, whatever it was, he thought. Caitlin was in a corner thinking the same thing.  
Pashmina and Penelope raced in. "Ham-Hams! You know that park Penelope and I went to that's four hours away? That's where Boss is!" "I never thought this day would come," Caitlin mumbled as everyone walked over. "Now what?" Maxwell asked. "The park four hours away! He's there! And the Bad Hams!" Pashmina shouted. "Ookyoo!" "I believe Pashmina," Dexter said. "I do, too!" Howdy yelled.  
Pashmina explained and by the time she finished, some Ham-Hams were in tears of relief, especially Caitlin. "But how are we gonna get there?" Cappy asked. "I can probably make something!" Panda suggested. "I can make a car with a fast motor where-" "We all get killed!" Stan shouted. "Make a helicopter!" "They probably have one, Stan!" Sandy shouted. He sighed and said, "That doesn't mean anything."  
"How will we build a motor without gas?" Jingle asked. "You know, that stuff humans put in their car to make it go?" The Ham-Hams hadn't thought about that. "OK, maybe we will have to build one of those things that fly by wind," Panda muttered. "I'd rather walk than fly," Hamtaro said. 


	13. The Rest of the Third Day

With Boss...  
  
Boss was back in the cell where he stayed. He was kind of glad also. That doctor's crazy! he thought. He dern stuck the needle in the wrong place, but kept on digging around to find it! Boss kept on rubbing his left arm as he remembered that. I sure do hope the Ham-Hams come back. I'm thinking Pashmina would tell them where I was.  
He remembered everything that had happened. Boss went into the bathroom and just sat in the floor. There's nothing of life now, he thought. Just then, he realized he couldn't go on with a hunger strike. Boss didn't want another IV shot, especially from THAT doctor. And he couldn't hold it back anymore. Boss hesitated at first, but the teardrops slowly but surely worked themselves down his cheeks. He couldn't help it. There was nothing left of life by the way he saw it. Boss wouldn't say yes to the deal and he'd die.  
Pretty soon, the floor under him was wet like someone had mopped a minute ago. He felt the only way he wanted to die was to mourn him to death. When he least expected it, he fell asleep. Maybe this was the time...  
  
At the clubhouse...  
  
Hamtaro was listening while Pashmina told where the park was. Maxwell was writing it down on paper. He was more bored than a raindrop waiting to be snow. There wasn't really anything to do anymore except talk about what they're going to do about Mike and Stella, but that got boring.  
Caitlin hadn't been talking too much. She seemed to have hope though, she knew it'd pass eventually. "Hey, Hamtaro," she mumbled, "I'm going to go. OK?" He nodded and she went out the door. "I think she went home," Sandy told him. "She hasn't been acting right," Bijou added. "And Caitlin is kind of is too worried," Pashmina remarked. "I know," Hamtaro replied and he thought a little more...  
  
A little later with Boss...  
  
A sharp pain was in his head as he slept on the floor. There was no other way to put it. There was either little or no hope in the Ham-Hams coming back. He usually just thought of them just to pass the time away. If there was anyone that came by, it was Mike. And little did he care if Mike did anything or not. But that was once in a while. Not real often Boss would move from one place to another. I truly feel sorry for prisoners in the jail house, he thought. They have to do this for three months or a lifetime other than three weeks. Except they don't get a whipping if they do something wrong. But they might get pepper-sprayed.  
At least there were other people like this, but they deserved it. Who would think anyone would get angry over a matter like this and take it so seriously?  
  
With Hamtaro...  
  
Hamtaro walked along with Oxnard in the tunnel home. "How long do you think we got to live our solitary lives?" Oxnard asked. Hamtaro sighed and wondered how long they did. He replied, "I would think it'd take a long time for a plan to come out that was supposed to take over every living thing. If I had to make a decision like that, I'd choose to die other than watch the world in doom." "I never thought of that," Oxnard remarked. "I'd think three weeks is how long it'd take them." "You're crazy," Hamtaro retorted. "It is three weeks. Did you not look at that document Stan brought?" "I did, but I forgot about the three weeks," he mumbled. "I wonder if they'll stick to it," Hamtaro wondered. "I think they would if the plan needed that long."  
Hamtaro and Oxnard neared the end of the tunnel. "I'll see ya later," Oxnard mumbled. "Bye-Q," Hamtaro replied and went up to Brandy. "Brandy," Hamtaro said. He just yawned and barely opened his eye. "Will you listen?" Hamtaro queried. "Our friend is in trouble and we need to save him. Do you have any advice? He's at a park four hours away from here." "Oowah," Brandy replied. "I can't talk to Laura, so I thought of you," Hamtaro continued. "Hamsters can't talk to humans...wait! How will Mike take over the world if he can't talk to humans? But...he has all of that advanced technology. Mike and Stella can pretty much do anything they want! Hmm...that means they're going to...no!"  
Brandy watched Hamtaro as he paced around him. "That can't be right," Hamtaro muttered. "If they can do anything they want, that means they can take over the Ham-Hams. No wonder..." 


	14. One Week into the Three Weeks

A week after Boss has been gone...  
  
Hamtaro had told the Ham-Hams what he had said to Brandy. "Why do you think that, Hamtaro?!" Caitlin feuded. "I know I should've told you Saturday, but it's been a week Boss has been gone," Hamtaro explained. "And I'm starting to wonder about it. If they couldn't take over us, then why didn't we go already? Just admit it, how would you feel if your friends didn't come after you after a week you've been gone?" "Hamtaro's right," Bijou said. "But, wouldn't Boss already lose confidence in us?" Cappy asked.  
Hamtaro tried to think of something to say, but nothing came to mind. Caitlin looked as if she was ready to cry. She hadn't all week. Hamtaro didn't want her to cry, but she just started to. "Caitlin!" Sandy said. "What's wrong?!" "Don't touch her!" Hamtaro yelled as he came over to her. "Then why do you get to?!" Stan shouted in anger. "I know what's wrong!" Hamtaro retorted and took Caitlin out of the clubhouse.  
"What is the problem?" he asked once Hamtaro closed the door behind himself. "I didn't just burst into tears in front of the Ham-Hams, did I?" Caitlin cried. Hamtaro nodded and she admitted, "I just am so worried about him! I want him to come home! Hamtaro, he's not coming back! He's not coming back to me!" "Yes, he is," Hamtaro softly replied. "How do you know?!" she demanded. "He can't come home on his own, and if we were going to help him, we'd already be at that park! Don't you see, Hamtaro?" Hamtaro nodded and didn't know what to say. He really didn't know how they were going to get to that park. "How would we get there?" he asked. "I dunno, but I want Boss back!!!" Caitlin cried. "I just want him home safe and that's all I care about! I don't care if a bullet goes through my stomach or not!"  
Hamtaro thought of the bullet and he grossed out. "I didn't gross you out, did I?" Caitlin asked calmly. "Kinda," he said and she replied, "Sorry! I don't want to cause anybody that kind of stuff!"  
Hamtaro and Caitlin opened the door to the clubhouse and entered. Caitlin's eyes were still a little red, but she didn't try to hide them, otherwise, everybody would stare.  
  
With Boss...  
  
Dern it, Boss thought as he was eating, I've been approximately whipped four times already. The first day, then when we returned from that doctor, then two other times I forget why. There was really nothing else to think. He wasn't sure or positive about the Ham-Hams anymore. Boss was actually very disappointed in them for not coming yet.  
OK, he thought, let's forget about them for a while and think about me. Let's remember, I'm the one in trouble. They're not even out of the clubhouse! Or are they? If they don't come before two more weeks pass by, I might as well forget them!  
Who would think Boss would think that? Would he really forget about them and think of his own sake? Or would Mike actually be able to take over? Who would think he could do anything he wanted? Boss would. 


	15. Officer Tom and Officer Bob

(This is waaaaaaay before "The Drastic Mother's Day" & "Officer Tom's Rage," so he doesn't seem as weird.)  
  
One week and one day and at the police station...  
  
The phone rang in Officer Tom's office. He answered, "Hello?" Hamtaro was the one calling. "Um," he mumbled. "What's your name, son?" Officer Tom asked. "Hamtaro," he replied. "What's wrong? Any immediate emergency?" Officer Tom asked. "Uh, our friend has gone missing. He's been-" "What's his name?" "Boss." " Hmm...I got another report from a girl named Caitlin." "Yeah!" Hamtaro exclaimed. "She just didn't give us any details." "Seems like her."  
Hamtaro told him about Mike and Stella as Officer Tom looked through villain profiles. "We've had a few reports about those two," he replied. "But never a case like this! We've had some gang activity, but are you sure it's them?" "Yes!" Hamtaro shouted. "Officer Bob, my partner, thought he saw them at the hospital five days ago. He was on break, but let me tell you the details," Officer Tom explained. "They came in with the kid you're talking about to get him an IV shot. He guessed he'd gone on a hunger strike. And when the kid ran out on them, those two, Mike and Stella followed. I guess Officer Bob hadn't recognized them because he'd only seen pictures of them and heard of them but never seen them personally. He told me they came back in a few minutes later and they were dragging him by his arms, and the poor kid was practically in tears." "Sounds exactly like him," Hamtaro remarked. "Anyhow," he continued, "when they were coming in, this Mike starts cursing to the kid, and Officer Bob said he was about to go up to him, but most people to that to kids. It's wrong, but they do. He was a little suspicious of those two. They stuck out like a green thumb, he told me. But the kid didn't. I mean, look at that black fur! It was groomed properly, but I should've known it was sticky underneath it all. Officer Bob said that girl was pretty cute and she barely raised any suspicion in his head."  
Hamtaro thought it was weird. Instead of him telling his case, Officer Tom was telling him Officer Bob's case, whoever that was. "I'll start searching today," he replied. "Thank you," Hamtaro said and hung up.  
Officer Tom found his partner, Officer Bob, and said, "We got a case. This time it's abduction by Mike and Stella. We got to get on this case now since we don't have another one now. Are you going to help me?" "Is that who it was over at the hospital?" Officer Bob asked. He nodded and the two got into their police car.  
The two officers conversed about the two. "Yeah," Officer Bob remarked, "I've heard of Mike and Stella. But not a case like this!" "That's what I said," Officer Tom retorted. "Let's just-" "Whose hot Lamborgini?!" Officer Bob interrupted. "Hot? It's speeding!" Officer Tom yelled.  
Officer Tom looked closely at the Lamborgini they were watching going the opposite way. "No way!" Officer Bob yelled. "What is it?" he asked. "That's-that's-that's-that's them!" Officer Bob shouted. Officer Tom looked and said, "Time to kick some crime's you-know-whats'!"  
  
With Mike and Stella...  
  
The two were originally out to go to the mall for Stella. Mike turned pale as he noticed they put on the siren. "They've heard about what we did from one of those Ham-Hams!" Stella screamed. "And, to make it all better, we're speeding!" Mike turned the Lamborgini around and said, "This is supposed to be one of the fastest cars in history, so let's see it!"  
Mike started at a little above ninety miles per hour. The two officers barely kept up, but they were right behind. "Dang!" Mike yelled. "They're keeping up!" He raised the speed a little and started running through traffic lights and sending cars into the sidewalks. Officer Tom and Officer Bob struggled to keep up with Mike and Stella.  
"Let's send them into the ditch or into a human in the park!" Mike shouted to Stella as he crossed the river carelessly. The two officers were starting to wonder if they'd try to go back to where they came from. "Must live over here," Officer Bob said. They were close to crashing into the slide, but only Mike and Stella noticed. Mike made a sharp turn right before crashing into the ladder, but the officers took an unexpected blow in the engine of their car. The officers also took an unexpected blow from the air bags. As for Mike and Stella, they decided they needed to do something about these police officers. 


	16. Mike is Angry

At the clubhouse...  
  
After Hamtaro hung up, the Ham-Hams asked, "What did he say?" "He told me some Officer Bob had seen them with Boss," Hamtaro replied, "except he didn't notice anything, and they would search for them immediately. So he's for sure they're there near that park." "He didn't realize who that was?!" Caitlin yelled. "No," he explained, "because he'd never seen them before and he was on break."  
Ring! Ring! The telephone rang. Hamtaro picked it up and said, "Hello?" "Kid! Hamtaro!" Officer Tom said. "I'm already getting a tow truck because of those two!" "What happened?" he asked. "I was just with Officer Bob looking for those two crooks," Officer Tom explained. "That was all. Then Officer Bob says, 'Who's hot Lamborgini?' So now he looks at the driver and it's Mike and Stella. Now, we're in a police car while they're in one of the fastest cars made. We chase them to that park and they ran us into this ladder on this slide!" "That's awful," he replied. "That's all we have to say. They disappeared behind a hill. And when we get another car, we're gonna check it out," Officer Tom said. "Thank you," Hamtaro said and hung up.  
Hamtaro acknowledged the rest of the Ham-Hams what had happened. "I don't think they'll do as good as we can do it!" Caitlin protested. "They don't care as much as we do!" Hamtaro sighed and knew she was just mad.  
  
Back with Mike and Stella...  
  
Mike and Stella were in their private meeting room again. "I wonder if those police officers saw where we went and disappeared," Stella said. "I hope they don't, but just in case, we're gonna move when they come," Mike remarked. "If you have anything you want, take it and put it in the car." "What about our weapons?" Stella questioned. "If they find them-" "They already know we have the kid, so they're bound to think we have weapons!" Mike protested.  
Mike was aggravated about the police being on their tails. "Did you tell the Bad Hams?" Stella asked. "No, but I will," he replied. Mike was confident about this escape. He would not be caught and put in jail. The only thing he wanted was real simple to him: take over the Ham-Hams and then the world. 


	17. Attempting Rescue

Back with the officers...  
  
Officer Tom and Officer Bob were riding back to the police station for an undercover police car. They walked silently in to borrow it from another officer. When they got it, they took off like a volcano had erupted. "Let's pretend Mount Everest has erupted," Officer Bob said but didn't suspect what he said...  
  
At Mount Everest...  
  
At the bottom of Mount Everest, undercover police cars were speeding from it. All of the other citizens were out of the city. When the majestic mountain erupted, the police cars were taking off and had finally outrun the flow.  
  
Back with our officers...  
  
"Uh, Bob," Officer Tom remarked, "Mount Everest did erupt a few minutes ago. It was on TV." "Oh, I didn't know," Officer Bob replied. Who would've guessed that?  
Officer Tom and Officer Bob pulled up beside the hill the Bad Hams were staying in. "This is the place," Officer Tom told Officer Bob. They quickly, yet quietly, snuck out of the car and started down the tunnel.  
  
With Mike and Stella...  
  
Mike and Stella were hurrying as fast as they could to get everything together. They had another location, but it was unknown to all except them. The Bad Hams were probably the ones who were doing the most work. Boss found it quite interesting to watch them pass by without noticing him from where he was. He wondered why they were acting different.  
"I see two of those officers comin' down the tunnel!" Number 1 yelled to Mike. "Stella," Mike said, "I want you to get the car and wait for me. Tell the Bad Hams where to go and they'll be fine. They're pretty smart. Tell Number 10 to drive. He's the best driver out of all of them. I'm getting the kid out of here by myself."  
Stella nodded and started giving orders immediately. Mike darted down the corridor and stopped by the cell door. He opened it and dashed in. Boss took this by surprise, but didn't protest until Mike came close. "C'mon kid," Mike shouted, "we need to get outta here!" "No!" he protested. "I'm not going with ya!" "Then I'll get you myself," he retorted and seized his wrist. "No!" he protested again and started to bite Mike. "OK," he replied. "If that's the way you want it, you'll get it!" Mike picked him up and tossed him over his shoulder. "Hey!" Boss yelled. "Put me down!"  
Mike started to run. He didn't know how he did it, but he did. Boss was sort of surprised also. When they got close to the door, Mike noticed the Bad Hams were already gone, but Stella was still in the back of the place with the car. The two officers were coming up to the door and kicked it open. Mike pressed up against the wall, but too bad Boss's head went into it. Officer Tom and Officer Bob went down the corridor a long ways from where the two were hiding against the wall. When they were out of range, Mike sat down and rested his back against the wall, despite the fact Boss was still on him. This is probably one of my chances, Boss thought, so I'll take it. At the count of three. One, two, three! "I'm over here!" Boss bellowed so it bounced off the walls. Mike was stunned at first, but he got a grip of himself. He muffled him and slapped him. Mike kept on muffling him and ran out the door to the back of the place inside the hill.  
Stella had been waiting a few minutes. When she saw Mike, Stella ran out and cried, "Oh! I thought they got you! I was so-" "Never mind that!" Mike shouted. "We've got to get out of here and meet the Bad Hams at the other place!" Mike threw Boss off his shoulder and put him in the car. Mike's shoulder was relieved of the weight, but he didn't pay attention to that. He just sped out of the tunnel when Officer Tom and Officer Bob were coming out of the place. "Hey!" the two officers yelled, but the Lamborgini sped faster. The only one who paid attention to them was Boss, which that was perhaps normal. I'm right here, he thought and sat all the way down. The only thing to do now was to wait. 


	18. Trying to Figure Out

Back at the clubhouse...  
  
Hamtaro sat as still as a rock on the ground until the phone rang. "Maybe that's the police officer telling us some good news," Sandy guessed. Hamtaro answered, "Hello?" "Hamtaro kid!" Officer Tom cried. "I can't believe it! That dumb mob escaped from us two, the best two officers in town!" Officer Tom was obviously upset. He continued, "OK, we went in and we heard the kid. But that Mike snuck out with him!" "OK...I guess," Hamtaro remarked. "No! It's not OK! This is the second time today we've missed these crooks, kid! First they wreck our car, and then they desert where they were staying!" Officer Tom yelled back and hung up.  
"So he didn't have good news?" Panda questioned again. "No," Hamtaro replied. "I wonder how they got out," Cappy muttered. "Maybe Maxy knows," Sandy said. "I'm not too sure," Maxwell remarked. "I'm sorry," Caitlin mumbled, "but I think they're smarter than all of us combined, even Maxwell, Dexter, and me." Everyone gasped because they knew she was one of the smart ones, yet very disturbing at times. "Why would you say that?" Dexter scolded. "Are you sure?" Maxwell asked. Caitlin nodded and was about to almost cry.  
  
Back with the fugitives...  
  
Mike slowed a little when they got close to the river. Boss had noticed they'd passed a waterfall and were next to the river for a while. "How much longer, Mike?" Stella asked. "Oh, about another few minutes," he replied. "Just a little further than this place."  
After a while, the Lamborgini pulled up to an elaborate house. "I wonder if they'll know how much further it is to Big Rock from here," Mike muttered as he went up to the door. "Be careful!" Stella yelled. "They might've heard of us!" When a girl hamster opened the door, Mike said, "How much further is it to Big Rock from here?" The girl hamster answered, "No one goes down there. I saw a school bus go down there. It's approximately five minutes from here." "Thanks," he murmured and she asked, "Can I see the inside of your Lamborgini?" "Uh, sure...err..." Mike replied.  
She came up and looked inside the car. She asked Mike, "Who are they? I swear you look like someone off of 'Hamster's Most Wanted'! A lot similar to Mike and Stella! And the kid whose gone missing! I'm helping searching for them!" "Uh, right. Kid," Mike said, "do you know who you're talking to?" She shouted, "Oh my-" Mike said, "Yep. That's us. Mike and Stella. Remember that name when we take over the world in less than two weeks. And, oh yeah, that's the kid." She was stunned, but he jumped in the Lamborgini and sped off down the river.  
Stella said, "Told ya they might've heard of us..." "Forget that!" Mike yelled. "We're here! Big Rock, here we are!" Boss sighed at the sight. It was nothing but a big rock in the middle of the river. There was a shady tree next to the river, which is where they stayed, but underneath it. I wonder if this is going to be worse than the other place, Boss thought. What was underneath this tree with shady leaves? What was to expect? 


	19. The Mansion

With the Ham-Hams...  
  
Hamtaro was about ready to forget the police. Officer Tom kept on calling back about how sorry he was. He also told Hamtaro that there were other things Mike and Stella had done around the city. They were responsible for most of the destruction of the city because the Bad Hams did it. Hamtaro got up and said, "Ham-Hams. This is useless! We can do better than let them discover us!" "But how will we get to that park?" Pashmina asked. "They moved to a different location, but it's near the area they were," Hamtaro replied. "Ookwee!" Penelope shouted.  
  
With Boss...  
  
Boss was watching from the Lamborgini at what Mike and Stella were doing. The Bad Hams were moving stuff in, mostly weapons like guns and daggers they had. After seein' all of those weapons, I kinda don't want to be here, he thought. Who would want to stay, no matter what?  
Finally Mike came back over and let him out. He was wondering about something... Another one of those uncontrolled actions... Boss thought. He had to admit, the area they were in was very beautiful indeed. There was barely any direct sunlight, and the trees provided lots of shade. The river was peaceful, despite the fact there was a big rock in the middle of it. That was when the other uncontrolled action took place. Boss thought it looked peaceful enough for a hamster to swim in.  
Boss was still thinking of that when he entered the door that led into the tree. Then the thought was lost. He probably hadn't seen a room the size of that first room. It, by what Boss could tell, was the main entrance. It had a crystal chandelier that glistened in the light. There was a staircase that went up one way, but in the middle it split like the letter 'y'. The floor was marble tile. There were a few glass globes that probably were as wide as Boss was tall. The height was the same as the width. The ceiling was about two feet in hamster measurement. It was simply amazing!  
He didn't have much time to see it, but that long was all he needed. The only reason Boss could think why Mike had those globes that size was because he wanted to know how to get around. Nah, Boss thought, it has to do something with this new 'plan' of his.  
Boss went up the staircase with the gang behind him. The staircase had cotton-like carpet that soothed the feet of anything that passed over it. There was a platform in the middle before it split separate ways to the right and left. The platform had a table with a red table cloth that passed in the middle.  
For some reason, there was a gargantuan game room at the top of the left way up the stairs. It had a pool table, card table, and a lot of things he would find at a casino. But there was only one thing that was different: everything had at least a panel of see-through glass. There was barely any light on the pool table with the surface of glass, so the glass had a blue hue. There was an identical to the entrance, but more compact, chandelier above the card table that hung like a low-light.  
The hallway Boss went down was very etiquette. He even wondered who thought up the idea of glass, but whoever did was a genius. He thought, Most likely it's Stella's idea of the glass. The passage way had floors of marble tile and the walls had pictures with colors blotted all over them. There were some clear glass globes, but if there were any down that long hallway, they'd be on a cabinet with a granite cabinet top.  
There were a few more rooms, but they were too beautiful and complex to explain to him. Boss could picture them in his mind, but what to call them would never come. The only question was...who thought up the glass for the household? He couldn't ask them. It wouldn't be right. But Boss wanted to know. There was nothing that could keep him from asking...if the lump in his throat would go away.  
Mike, Stella, and the Bad Hams stopped him and they stood for a minute in a large hallway. Stella pointed in a direction and they continued. After a minute, the Bad Hams stopped in front of a doorway. Boss wondered what they were doing as Mike beckoned him to come with no words. Stella and the Bad Hams were staying behind. He stepped forward with Mike through the door. When the door closed behind him, Boss looked forward. His jaw dropped open at the sight. 


	20. Boss Figures Out the Truth

The room was as big as the entrance and just as nice and entertaining as the game room. There was a big window in the back with a king size bed with a canopy to the side of the window. There was a couch at a different section of the room with fluffy pillows on it with a matching chair beside it. Before it was a big screen television. A few feet in hamster measurement behind the couch was a pool table with a top of glass. The balls were made from colored glass as well. A few inches from it was a ping-pong table. There was nothing special about it, but a little ways from it, there was an air-hockey table with a surface of glass, too. The floor was a pure white that had been cleaned a million and one times before Boss had entered the room. Most of the things were white, but some things were red, blue, or black. Everything in there must've cost more than Boss himself could never afford. There was also a giant bookcase with shelves of glass. Where do they get all of this glass? Boss asked himself. (Whoa, that room sounds pretty coolio!!!)  
After a few minutes of watching Boss look around and like what he saw, Mike said, "What do you think?" He couldn't answer. He knew what was going to happen. It was too obvious that it was a bargain to get him the give up the Ham-Hams. "Gr-gr-" Boss couldn't finish his sentence. He didn't know what to do. Then he got a bright idea that would help him later on. "I designed it myself," Mike replied. So Mike's who designed the glass, he thought.  
After a few moments of silence, Mike grew weary of waiting for a reply. "I wanted to show this room to you first," Mike remarked, "so you'd know who's the most superior. What do you say? Do you figure a week and six days is too long to wait for this? Heh, I guess not." After seeing no reply, he yelled, "You got the nerve of a laughing jackass! Do you not hear me?!" Boss replied, "I hear you, but I dunno what to say. And, uh, what's the laughing thing? Howdy?" Mike sighed and muttered, "A kookaburra from Australia." "I know what you're doing," Boss replied. "You are going to try to bribe me." Mike showed his teeth and muttered, "You actually don't think I meant what I said, did you?" "I took it very seriously," he remarked. "You probably don't want to know what actually is going to happen," Mike retorted. "What? Gonna whip me again?" Boss shouted angrily. Mike started to growl loudly. He tried to hold it back, but it slipped out. "You're nothing but a bastard, and you'll never live up to all expectations," he retorted. "What's going to actually happen is that we're just waiting for this plan of mine to be constructed which will be in progress one week and six days from now." "What?!" Boss shouted. "You just did this just to wait for a 'plan' to be constructed?!" "What's bugging you?" Mike retorted. "I'm gonna do plenty good for you, like what I was about to say before you said, 'What? Gonna whip me again?'! When should I tell your doom?"  
Mike waited for an answer. There was no reply whatsoever. "I take that as a yes," he boomed. I don't want to hear any of this, Boss thought. There was nothing to be done because he was hearing before long. Mike retorted, "You're not gonna die. It's true, I was bribing you. Kid, the only reason you're here before the plan is made is because...you're the only Ham-Ham out of all of them that could ever be close to be my secondary assistant." Boss paused at the comment Mike had just made. Mike was trying to get him to be used to being around the Bad Hams but mostly him. He really had gotten used to them. That was probably the only reason Mike wanted him to be perfectly reserved in his mind. And, in Boss's mind, it was actually working. He had been thinking of Mike more than he had been. But he didn't want to be what Mike wanted him to be...  
  
HIS SECONDARY ASSISTANT.  
  
There was nothing that made a noise for a while. Mike had done a good method of bribing. Soon, an hour had passed since he entered the gargantuan room. There was nothing now to worry about in Boss's mind. He just imagined there was no one around. And went crazy in his head. Just when all went wrong in his thoughts, Boss stopped breathing. Again, he thought of it just there and nothing was going wrong. For a moment, all went black. There were no worries now in the unconscious state. 


	21. The Hallucination

After a few hours...  
  
After a while, Boss woke up again. This time, he was in another one of those cells like back at the other place. But his eyes almost popped out of his head when he saw something. There, standing in front of him, was Caitlin.  
"What the heck are you doing here, Caitlin?" Boss shouted. "What?" she replied. "You came to save my life?" he cried. "Oh, Caitlin! I love you so much!" "What the he-" she started, but Boss was hugging her. And pretty soon, that hug turned into him burying his face in her fur on her stomach and started crying with tears of joy.  
But that stopped fairly soon. Caitlin was a hallucination. It was one of the worst things he could probably imagine: it was actually Mike. Boss took this by surprise and jumped to the other side of the room in a heart beat. The tears that came down earlier turned into tears of fear. "What the he-" he muttered but was interrupted. "You had a hallucination, I guess. Uh..." There was that thought again that he had outside. There was only one thing that he could do. This kid is more scared of me than a hundred cats, Mike thought. He's not gonna do anything but look at me like that if I don't do something. He's just gonna have hatred every time he sees me and it was obvious of that. The only thing bigger than hatred is that fear of his. Look at the kid! He's tougher than a rock and it hurts him just to see me come up to him! Maybe I should try to do what Stella told me to do. Heh, and if it doesn't work, he'll have to suck it up, even if he doesn't like it!  
He gulped and walked toward him. Boss cringed when he grabbed his wrist. Mike found the pulse and noticed it was racing. He sighed and said, "Kid, you're gonna die of a heart attack." He gave Mike a look and closed his eyes tightly. He didn't want to get into a conversation with Mike. He didn't want anything to happen.  
Mike stared for a while. He sighed and mumbled, "Kid, you're gonna have to get over this. You're friends aren't coming." Boss looked up and muttered, "You're not serious, are you?" "I am serious," he replied. "They can't get away from their humans. They don't want to come all the way for one like you. They think it's not important enough." Mike knew he was lying, but he didn't seem to know. Boss looked down and realized the same thing even though Mike wasn't for sure they were coming. He knew he was going to get the conversation he wanted out of Boss. But it so turned out he wasn't going to get anything out. He demanded, "Leave me alone for a while. You can talk to me later."  
Mike didn't want to leave, but he did. But he waited in front of the door. He could hear the moans of Boss as he tried to stop from realizing what Mike had said. Pretty soon, he was practically screaming at how unfair the world was. "It's not fair!" he cried over and over. It hurt to hear something like what Mike had said. "They're not coming! They're not coming! They are not COMING!!!"  
Mike tried to stay in place. The truth was Mike hadn't noticed the saying was true. Stella said it over and over to him for the past week and one day saying, "There is at least a little good in all evil, and I mean it, Mike. Some things I just can't stand to hear. You haven't heard it, but I've heard the cries before. It would make you sick." Stella was really correct about the cries. It was making him sick.  
After a while, Mike got tired of it. There was no sympathy. Stella was coming down the hallway. She heard the loud moans and checked with Mike what it was. "Oh," Stella murmured. "Ya know, I have to ask and I've an idea what you're gonna say. But do you feel at least a little sympathy? And my answer is yes. I can't stand it. I dunno if it's because I'm a girl and you're not." "No, I don't feel anything," Mike replied. "I guess it is because you're a girl. Girls are more emotional about that stuff than guys are."  
Stella still didn't understand Mike. She didn't know what to say about him. It was as if the only thing he watched and tried to keep in place was Boss. She almost thought she was forgotten. But, in Mike's mind, Stella was just as important as anyone else that ever walked on the face of the earth. Actually, in no one else's mind except Stella's, she was a little jealous of Mike's new soon-to-be ASSistant.  
Stella asked Mike, "Hey, you wanna forget about him and play some pool? We'll have a better time." He looked around and knew there was no excuse. "I guess so," Mike replied. "Who's gonna play?" "You and me," Stella remarked, knowing that was the only way to get peace. "We can play on the pool table in my room." "Sure," Mike remarked and the two started on their way. 


	22. Hamtaro and Oxnard's Conversation

A week and three days...  
  
The Ham-Hams were still wondering how they would get to the park. "Does that plan Stan picked up say anything they were going to do on how they're gonna take over the world?" Dexter queried. Hamtaro walked over to the table where it lay and looked at it. There was nothing in it that said anything they were going to do. "I just know," he mumbled, "I don't want Laura to know about this. I don't want any of your owners to know about this either. The only thing I want to do is make sure everyone of us is OK, and that includes Boss." Caitlin looked at him and started thinking, I don't know why we can't go...  
It'd been a quick day, like it had been for a week and three days. Everyone left the clubhouse without a friendly good-bye. All was disturbed. The only thing they could think of was what Mike and Stella were doing and was about to do to the world. Hamtaro thought it was funny how if one person joined them, the whole world would be theirs. But what Hamtaro thought was that they liked Boss a little too much...enough to cause all of these things. It could be easy to take over someone in three weeks or it was as complex as counting to infinity.  
Hamtaro and Oxnard were walking home together wordlessly. Finally Oxnard said, "Do you think we can make it before three weeks are up? I'm not too sure. There's no way we can get there, unless it was by car. And we don't even have a dang car!" "I know, Oxnard," Hamtaro replied. "It is a hard time for us all, except we need to not be so selfish. We need to think of Boss and help him out. He's probably thinking we decided to dip our heads in black paint and jump in the river!" "Uh, Howdy said that," Oxnard remarked. "I know, Oxy, that's why I said it. It was to make since out of Howdy," Hamtaro retorted. "You're saying?" Oxnard questioned. Hamtaro shouted, "Listen to these jokes where he's making us idiots and Mike and Stella are these James Bonds! 'Mike's actually Mike Bond,' Howdy said. Then he says, 'He has the license to hate AND kill! He he he! That's why he can do whatever he wants! He he he! He's a spy!' Hell, Oxnard! Howdy's really a dang idiot!!!"  
Oxnard didn't say anything else until they were to the end of the tunnel. "I guess I'll see ya later..." Hamtaro muttered and walked off toward Brandy. He wasn't feeling too good. Hamtaro hoped Laura didn't notice his attitude change. He stalked past Brandy and up the drainpipe. He barely made it before Laura came in the room he was going so slowly. "Hamtaro?" Laura mumbled while she took him out of his carrier. "You don't look too good. What's bugging you, little fella?" Hamtaro then wished he could tell Laura everything, but, as he knew, hamsters couldn't talk to humans. 


	23. One Week and Six Days

A week and six days...  
  
It'd been almost two weeks Boss had been with Mike and Stella. There was literally nothing to do. It'd been five days he'd been moping because of what Mike had told him. He was fully convinced by now the Ham-Hams weren't coming. The only time Mike had come for the past five days was to give him a bite to eat. Boss had been eating fine, but it had no effect on him. He was almost weary every time he looked upward. At nighttime for the past five days, he'd remember the fact about the Ham-Hams not coming back, which would lull him to sleep. Were the Ham-Hams every going to come?  
Boss had not spoken in the five days once. There were only thoughts. And the only thoughts that came were happy days when there was no Mike and Stella, when the Ham-Hams had adventures that brought glee, not sorrow. There were memories of when he could talk aloud to Snoozer and speak all of his troubles. Every night came some thought...a thought that would change the way Boss thought forever: Mike and Stella.  
  
With Mike and Stella...  
  
Mike and Stella have been doing things with each other for awhile. Stella thought it was great to have Mike's attention back. She almost thought she had lost Mike's attention for a long time. Stella was up for anything Mike wanted to do. As long as she was with her Mike, she was fine.  
They were playing pool when Mike mumbled, "I have something to give you, Stella..." He muttered a few words and pulled out a yellow rose, which meant, 'I love you, but I don't know if you love me.' Stella gasped at first, but she took it gingerly in her paw. She looked in his eyes and replied, "I thought you'd never do this, Mike. I've been waiting for this day for a long time. But there's one thing you must let me do..." She whispered a few things in his ear and he questioned, "Are you sure you can take that?! You told me five days ago you couldn't take it!" "It's almost dinner, so just get the table set and I'll do the rest," Stella acknowledged and Mike nodded. He thought all of his dreams would come true at that one dinner, but it wasn't only him and Stella... 


	24. Invitation

An hour before dinner...  
  
"What?" Boss shouted at Mike. "You don't want me there! Heck, I should be in a mess hall!" "But this isn't a mess hall," Mike retorted. "This is where Stella and I eat our meals. Be grateful I'm not about to shoot you." "I'm not going to eat in the same room as you," he feuded. "I'll throw up! Not that I wouldn't right now!"  
Soon, Mike got tired of feuding with him. Boss hadn't had a bath in almost two weeks and he needed one. Especially before Mike ate in the same room as him. "Kid, you're gonna need a bath before I eat in the same room as you," Mike acknowledged and Boss turned pale at the comment. "How am I to?" he shouted. "I don't have a dern bath and I don't want a dern bath!" "Use mine!" Mike shouted back. "I'm not letting Stella around you if smell putrid!" "I don't give it!" Boss feuded louder. "Who wants a bath anyway?!"  
Pretty soon, Mike was pulling him to his bathroom. "You're gonna take one if it's the last thing I do!" he shouted. "Ugh," he muttered. "Do you even know how to take a bath?" Mike asked. "Or do you just do it in a shallow and non-rapid part of the river?" "The river thing," Boss replied proudly. Mike sighed and showed him the faucet and how to turn it on. "How do you know if it's too hot?" he asked. Mike did the grin and thought an evil thought. "I'll do that," he retorted and raised the temperature.  
After about ten minutes, the bath was at a high level. "Are you sure it doesn't bite?" Boss asked. "I'm dumb sure," Mike yelled. "Don't look," Boss mumbled. "Who said I couldn't?" he questioned rudely. "Heck, don't you understand?" he feuded. "I do as much as you do," Mike remarked. After a few grumbles, Boss got in and there was nothing but a loud screech of pain that could bust anyone's eardrums.  
"It's HOT!!!" Boss shouted in pain. "Why did you do THIS TO ME?!" "Heh," Mike snickered as he saw him fly. "I told you to take a bath, and you're gonna take it." "Heck no!" Boss feuded. "You did this on purpose!" "Who's to blame?" Mike boomed. "YOU!!!" he yelled. He was sprawled above the surface of the water and holding onto the edge to keep from falling in. Mike got angered and stepped on top of him. Boss thought of this and said, "You know, if I fall, you do, too, along with me." Mike hadn't realized that would happen because he had just made Boss fall.  
The room was covered in hot, steaming water. Boss had the worst damage, but his feet weren't bad. That was Mike's problem. His feet had been burnt by his own harmless trick. "Don't worry about it," Boss said, "I got sunburn bad in the summer last year. You probably have people carry you around when the ground burns like fire."  
After that was taken care of, the two trudged to the dining room. Stella was obviously in a good mood because she was practically dancing around when she was setting the table. Mike was looking around the door. "Look at her," he mumbled. "She's as beautiful as anything on four wheels, like my Lamborgini."  
Stella came to the door and they came in. Mike knew what to do, but Boss hadn't done such a thing. "You just sit down and wait to get your food," Stella explained. "I serve. You just wait, unlike what you're used to doing most of the time. You serve the Ham-Hams?" "I guess," he muttered wishing she wouldn't talk about them in front of him.  
He looked around. There were funny-looking pointed objects around a big round thing. Boss was a little embarrassed not knowing what they were. There was also a big, folded, cloth material. There was a thing that was a rounded thing with a handle. Boss picked up the big circular thing in the middle and tried to bite it, but it was too hard. Mike noticed and laughed, "You don't know what utensils or plates are?!" "What the heck? I've never heard the word or seen these thingamajigs!" Boss feuded. Stella came out of the separate kitchen and said to Mike, "I'll teach him."  
"So, this is a spoon," Stella explained. It was the rounded thing with the handle. Stella continued, "This is a knife. You only use it when you want to cut food, like meat and baked and sweet potatoes. A fork is used to put into the food and pick it up that way. If it's something like mashed potatoes or soup, you use a spoon since it has no spaces. A napkin you put in your lap so no messy foods get all over you. A plate is used for having your food on. There are also bread plates, but they're smaller. And bowls are hollow and it's rounded. You keep soup in it." "I'm sorry," Boss mumbled, "I know what baked potatoes and bread is, but what are the rest?" "Soup is a liquid," Stella continued and made another lecture about the different kinds of food. 


	25. New Things

Mike got bored waiting for them. "Can we eat? I didn't come to get a lecture on how to eat! I came to eat!" he feuded. "There are also table manners, but I'll teach you later about that," she sighed and went back into the kitchen. "Kid," Mike said, "table manners are how you act at the table. Just behave, keep your elbows off the table, sit upward and don't, I repeat, don't eat with you mouth open. That's all I care about. And don't talk while I'm eating. Otherwise, I might throw up. You hear me?" Boss nodded.  
Stella brought in a beef vegetable soup and out it before them. "Uh..." Boss mumbled as he looked at it. He'd never eaten any kind of meat before. "What is this?" he asked. Stella replied, "its beef. You haven't had it before. It's a kind of meat. And you use the spoon, not your fingers to eat it." He hadn't noticed what was wrong with eating with his fingers, except the liquid part of the soup dripped.  
After the soup, Stella brought out salad in their own bowls. "This," she said, "is salad. You eat it with a fork, even though you are used to eating with your paws with vegetables." "Salad...but what's the other stuff?" Boss asked. "It's called dressing. It adds flavor to your salad. You pour it on. It's a little thick, but it's supposed to be that way. There are different flavors, but that's honey mustard," Stella replied.  
After the salad was finished, the entree was brought out of the kitchen. It was a marinated steak with a baked potato side and a pile of rice next to the steak. "What the heck?" he muttered under his breath. "This is confusing." Stella showed him how to cut it. "This kid doesn't know anything," Mike muttered. "It's not his fault," Stella remarked. "He hasn't eaten this stuff before. Other than sunflower seeds, the only other thing is probably vegetables. The word 'meat' is unknown to him."  
Thereafter, there was a dessert. Except Boss didn't know what dessert was. He'd never had something sweet. "What's that?" he asked. "You don't know anything if you haven't had dessert!" Mike scolded. "Never had," he remarked. "Then you don't know anything," he retorted. "You eat it with a spoon if it's ice cream, or you use a fork if it's cake. There you have it."  
All of this stuff was foreign to him. There was barely anything that actually made since. Really everything was too confusing to understand. After dinner, Boss was sent back to where he stayed. He walked alone. They trusted him enough by now perhaps to walk back. He opened the door and realized it was a chance he was missing to run away. But something stopped him.  
Well, it wasn't Boss's feelings that stopped him from running out of that place. It was that Mike and Stella were coming down the hallway to check on him. He entered quickly and hoped they didn't notice that he was about to go.  
Stella softly knocked on the door which would send a tingling feeling up and down anyone's spine. After her knock, Mike took his turn by rapping it so that it would make everyone alert. Mike unlatched the door and said to Stella, "It's your idea...again." "Thank you," she replied and entered through the doorway. He didn't go in for the mindless reason of he had to watch the door.  
"Uh," Stella muttered, "excuse me. Do you want to watch while Mike and I play pool?" Boss looked at her and shrugged. She took it as a yes. "OK," Stella muttered again. "C'mon if you want to. Remember, you don't have to watch if you don't want to." He followed her out where Mike was. "You want to?" he mumbled and, following it, sighed.  
He followed Mike and Stella down the hallway to Stella's room. When he entered, Boss looked around it. Most of the things were girly colors like pink, purple, and blue. Some things were different colors, like white, red, and green, but there were barely any of those colors or any other color. It had a cathedral ceiling that had few lights in it, but there were loads of lamps. There was a gargantuan window that was rounded at the top with windows that stretched upward beside it. Stella had a bed with a canopy that was tucked in the corner. There were loads of decorations that had to do with anything pink, purple, and blue.  
After a minute, Mike said, "I came down here to play pool and that's what I'm going to do!" 


	26. Hamtaro's Solution

Two weeks and five days...  
  
Time was ticking away at the Ham-Ham clubhouse. No one wanted to do anything but think of ways to get to the park. Hamtaro kept on getting repeated calls from the police station. Officer Tom and Officer Bob were going crazy because they were searching from before lunch break and after lunch break for the Bad Hams. They were not going to give up until they found Mike and Stella and got everything back in the right order.  
Hamtaro was still wondering if they would ever go for Mike and Stella. He almost thought it was too late. There were about two days before the time was up. Caitlin was out of place and she was always doing things that were crazy. She started taking depressants so she could sometimes forget what happened. If she was reminded, Caitlin would start crying. (That sounds like me.)  
Everyone was sitting at the table in the main room. Caitlin hadn't come to the clubhouse yet that day. Sandy walked over to Hamtaro and whispered, "I need to see you privately." He nodded and they went outside of the clubhouse. "Follow me," she said and Hamtaro followed her.  
Hamtaro and Sandy stopped at a tree in the area near the clubhouse. There was a door that Sandy opened. Hamtaro heard noises on the inside and asked her, "What's that?" "This is Caitlin's place," Sandy replied.  
Hamtaro bellowed, "Hello? Caitlin?" "Hamtaro!" Caitlin cried from somewhere inside her house. It was quite small. There was a main room that had few decorations, a kitchen, a dining room, and her bedroom. Hamtaro and Sandy went into her dining room and saw an ugly sight.  
Caitlin had flipped everything over and broken everything breakable in the dining room. "Caitlin?" Hamtaro said. "She's been doing this for almost three weeks," Sandy replied. "She just wants to forget it all and leave it all behind."  
Caitlin paused and looked back at the dining room. "I know," she said. "I just want to forget it all." Hamtaro thought for a minute. "I have got an idea!" he shouted and told them how they could get to the park where the Bad Hams were at. "That's great!" Sandy shouted. Caitlin replied, "I never thought of getting the police to take us...but it's grand! It's great! We'll get there in less than two days and we'll save him and everything will be back to normal!"  
They walked back to the clubhouse. Everyone was thinking of how to get to the park when Hamtaro told him his idea. "That's fantastic, Hamtaro!" Maxwell exclaimed. "Why couldn't I think of that?" "Hamtaro's the hero of the day!" the Ham-Hams gleefully cheered. 


	27. One Day Left

The next morning...  
  
Hamtaro had called the police before he went home the previous night. Officer Tom and Officer Bob were going to be there early. Hamtaro had thought that a day early before the three weeks were up was better than the day it was up.  
Every one of the Ham-Hams was there early before seven thirty in the morning. "Got everything?" Hamtaro asked them when he got to the clubhouse. "I brought," Caitlin said, "some of my money so we can buy extra things when we get there. There's a hamster city there that has a big mall that has a sporting goods place. We can buy our weapons there if the police don't supply us." "Excuse me," Bijou remarked, "but what if we end up spending the night at the park? And what if we can't find the city?" "I dunno," Hamtaro replied.  
Officer Tom and Officer Bob were driving separate cars and had brought some other officers to carry everyone in their cars. "OK," Officer Tom said to Hamtaro, "you are Hamtaro? I'm Officer Tom." "Nice to meet you," Hamtaro responded and did a handshake with the officer. "Wanna ride in my car with me and ride in the front seat?" Officer Tom asked. Hamtaro followed him to his car and realized Caitlin, Sandy, and Bijou were riding in the same car as him.  
Hamtaro was glad he was going with Caitlin and Bijou because he could keep Caitlin company and Hamtaro could be with his girlfriend, Bijou. It wasn't long until they were on their way to the hamster city.  
  
Four hours later...  
  
Hamtaro and the Ham-Hams made it to the city with the police officers in time for lunch. "Before you go," Officer Tom said, "go eat some lunch at Pizza Hut. Or go to the mall and find the food court. If you ever need any assistance, always call 911. We'll help you out at anytime of the day. While you're eating, we'll search the city for Mike and Stella."  
The Ham-Hams started for Pizza Hut. Panda said, "If we go into the mall, we're bound not to see the girls for a week." "I agree with Panda," Cappy remarked. "Darn it," Pashmina said. "But Pashmina," Howdy said, "if you're gone for a week, the three weeks will be up. It'll be four weeks! He he he!" "Do us a favor, Howdy, and shut up," Dexter retorted. "Who said you could tell me what to do?" Howdy demanded. "We don't have time for fighting!" Oxnard shouted. "Yeah, dude," Stan replied.  
After they ate, the Ham-Hams started searching the hamster city. Hamtaro, Caitlin, Oxnard, Bijou, and Sandy were searching together. They had brought Snoozer, just in case he had advice. Oxnard and Sandy were the ones carrying him. "Where do you think the park is?" Caitlin asked. "Maybe across that river we saw earlier on," Oxnard said. "Let's get the Ham-Hams and cross together," Bijou remarked.  
The group raced to the other Ham-Hams and together they crossed the river on the bridge. "Let's split up again," Maxwell said. "This time, I'll go with Maxy," Sandy told them. "That leaves us four," Hamtaro said. Sandy, Maxwell, and Panda were going together. Jingle, Cappy, Stan, and Snoozer were searching together. Howdy, Dexter, Pashmina, and Penelope were a group. That left Hamtaro, Caitlin, Oxnard, and Bijou together. 


	28. Penelope and Stan

With Howdy, Dexter, Pashmina, and Penelope...  
  
"I wonder where they could be," Howdy muttered. "I saw them near the merry-go-round," Pashmina acknowledged. "Ookyoo!" Penelope shouted. "We'll check there," Dexter said.  
The foursome dashed to the merry-go-round. "This place looks deserted!" Howdy shouted. "How would we find anyone here?" "Check the hills for passageways," Dexter told him. "I'm glad we have a really smart Ham-Ham with us," Pashmina said. "I'm smart!" Howdy shouted. "Sure you are," she lied.  
"I don't think this is doing any good," Howdy said after ten minutes. "Ookyoo!" Penelope shouted when a breeze came. "Penelope, what did you sense?" Pashmina shouted above the breeze. Penelope took off running down the river with the three Ham-Hams following her.  
Penelope ran downriver. Soon, Pashmina, Howdy, and Dexter fell behind her and couldn't catch up. There was a big rock in the middle of the river where they stopped. Penelope climbed the big, shady tree and looked down at them. Pashmina looked up at her and saw something in the tree. She screamed, "Penelope!" "What is it, Pashmina?" Howdy and Dexter yelled in unison. "Penelope!" Pashmina screamed again and pointed to where Penelope was. But Penelope wasn't there anymore.  
"Something got her!" Pashmina screamed. "It grabbed her around her waist and took Penelope!" "What could do that?" Dexter said. "Don't you see?!" Howdy scolded. "Let's get the Ham-Hams! And I mean pronto!"  
  
With Hamtaro and his gang...  
  
Hamtaro, Caitlin, Bijou, and Oxnard were searching the trees for passageways. "I can't find any!" Oxnard shouted. "I'm aggravated myself," Hamtaro remarked. "I wonder how everyone else is doing," Caitlin mumbled. "`Oui," Bijou replied.  
"Hamtaro! Guys!" Pashmina screamed. "What is it?" Hamtaro queried. "Something got Penelope!" Dexter yelled. "What did it look like?" Oxnard asked. "It was up in a tree with Penelope," Pashmina remarked, "and we were down on the ground. It was a big shady tree so the arm appeared black." "Very black?" Howdy asked. "You didn't tell us! That could be a- " "Penelope!!!" Pashmina cried. "I'm sorry! Please forgive me! I let something harm little Penelope!" "Pashmina," Caitlin said, "it wasn't something. It was most likely one of those Bad Hams that got her." "Penelope!" Pashmina cried again. "I am so sorry! I let Penelope down! I let her get hurt!"  
The other Ham-Hams heard Pashmina and went to her aid. "A Bad Ham got her?" Jingle inquired. Pashmina started to cry. "Yes," she sniffled. "Don't worry, baby," Stan told her. "We'll get her back. Or I will if no one else is going to help me." Stan walked off and started down the river. "Big shady tree? Rock in the middle of the river? Got it down," Stan said.  
Stan found the elegant house that Mike and Stella had asked for directions previously. He knocked on the door. "Hello?" the girl hamster that gave Mike and Stella instructions answered. "Hamha, Ham Beauty," Stan said. "My name's Stan, babylicious. Do you want to go out with me?" "No!" she yelled and slammed the door in his face. "OK, dudette," Stan retorted and walked on down the river.  
"There's the tree," he said. Stan climbed up it and looked around. Stan muttered, "I just want to get this over wi-" Before he had finished his words, Stan was knocked out cold. 


	29. Continuous Attacks

With Hamtaro...  
  
Hamtaro, Oxnard, Caitlin, and Bijou were in their group again. "'Tis getting dark," Bijou said. "I'm going to go to sleep in a pile of leaves on the river bank." Bijou walked to the river and piled leaves. She climbed in them and fell asleep quickly.  
After a while, Bijou started hearing footsteps around her that were loud enough to wake her up. She opened her eyes and realized she was in the dark alone. It was about nine o'clock. Bijou stood up and tried to see around her. Just then, something seized her around her neck. She started screaming, but was soon knocked out cold by a blow in the back of the head.  
  
Back at Hamtaro's house...  
  
"Hamtaro's missing!" Laura screamed to her parents. "Laura," Mrs. Haruna said, "he's just sleeping in his sleep house. Hamtaro's not missing." "Hamsters don't sleep at night, Mom!" she feuded. "Let me check," Mr. Haruna told Laura.  
He came in Laura's room and looked around his cage. "Did you leave his cage open?" Mr. Haruna said. "I don't know," Laura sniffled. "I hope he's in my room." "He'll come back for his food, won't he?" Mrs. Haruna asked. "If Hamtaro doesn't come for food, he'll be in the kitchen gorging himself." "Mom," Laura said, "you're the best Mom in the whole, entire world. And the smartest."  
  
With Hamtaro...  
  
Hamtaro was talking with Caitlin and Oxnard when they heard Bijou's scream. "That's Bijou!" Hamtaro screamed and he ran to the river where she was sleeping. The Ham-Hams had also come. Bijou was nowhere to be found. Hamtaro looked over to Howdy and Dexter and said, "Where's Pashmina?" "My word!" they screamed and ran back to where they were.  
Howdy and Dexter saw what was happening where she was at. "Hey!" they shouted and realized what they saw. Two of the Bad Hams, Number 3 and Number 4 were beating her. "Howdy, Dexter," Pashmina muttered before the air was knocked out of her. "Pashmina!" Howdy and Dexter screamed and jumped on top of the two gang members. They turned from Pashmina and started striking them.  
Dexter had them first which didn't take two minutes until he was knocked out. Howdy had been pounding the two on the back trying to get in, but after Dexter was down on the ground, he dove in and tried to drag him away from the Number 3 and Number 4. Howdy thought we could've made it, but he was wrong.  
  
The two knocked him to the ground and grabbed a thick stick and started blowing Howdy on the head. Howdy punted them in the stomach, but Number 3 held him down while Number 4 beat him with the club. Howdy took a deep breath and the air was knocked out of him by a blow into the stomach. 


	30. Splitting Up

With the Ham-Hams...  
  
It'd been thirty minutes since they saw Howdy and Dexter. "I think they got them," Caitlin muttered reluctantly. "I think so too," Hamtaro agreed. "Let's go and make sure though."  
Hamtaro led the way when the Ham-Hams looked through the park. They shouted their names, but knew Howdy, Dexter, and Pashmina were gone. "We better look out for ourselves," Cappy remarked. "Each Ham for themselves," Sandy said. "Uh-oh," Cappy muttered. "What?" the Ham-Hams asked. "I left Snoozer!" he shouted and he ran back to where Snoozer once laid. When Cappy got there, Snoozer was nowhere in sight. "My word!" he screamed. "They got Snoozer, too!"  
The Ham-Hams knew what had happened. They didn't exactly know where Cappy went, though. He had run back to Snoozer alone.  
Cappy made sure Snoozer didn't roll to another place because he had laid him down on a hill. It was about nine thirty o'clock. "Now Snoozer," Cappy whispered to himself. He didn't like the idea of him being on that hill alone. Cappy thought of the Bad Hams coming along and getting him, too. "This creeps me out," Cappy said to himself. "What if they're right there in front of me? They're too black to see!" "Well," a voice said, "what about behind you?"  
Cappy turned around and screamed. "Cappy!" the Ham-Hams shouted into the darkness. They didn't know where he was. They continued to shout his name for ten minutes. After those ten minutes, they knew Cappy had been taken. "What are we going to do?" Jingle shouted. "There's nothing we can do," Panda replied. "I'm getting tired," Oxnard mumbled. "We can't go to sleep together," Caitlin said. "They'd get all of us that way," Maxwell remarked.  
They searched around and tried to find a place they could hide to sleep in. "Mike seems to know our every move," Hamtaro said to the Ham- Hams. "Don't say that!" Sandy scolded. "You're scaring me!" "But," Maxwell muttered, "it's true, Sandy." "I have an idea!" Sandy said. "Since Maxy and I like each other and I can trust him, we'll sleep together where it's hidden! Let's pair up!"  
"I'll pair up with you, Hamtaro," Caitlin said to him. "Can Oxnard come?" Hamtaro asked. "Yeah!" she replied. "The more, the safer!" Panda and Jingle paired up. "That's good," Panda said. "I can't go to sleep without some soothing music." "It'll make me fall asleep, too," Jingle remarked. 


	31. Discovered

Sandy and Maxwell found a spot under the merry-go-round. "This is good," Sandy said. "Have you ever kissed anyone before, Sandy?" Maxwell asked. "No," she replied. "You wanna kiss?" he questioned. "OK, I guess," Sandy replied.  
The couple started kissing when Sandy heard something. She thought Maxwell didn't hear it. She thought he was paying more attention to the kiss than the fact anything could come up. Sandy tried to pull away from him, but Maxwell pulled her up to him and covered her head. Sandy knew he had seen something that caused him to be alert. Maxwell was trying to protect her. "What is it?" she asked. "Shh," he muttered. Sandy didn't know what he saw, but Maxwell shouted, "Duck down! And stay down!"  
Maxwell brought her paws up and covered her head and put Sandy to the floor. "Maxy?" she asked as he ran away from her. Sandy thought, Maybe he pretended to see something to get away from me! "WAHHH!!!" Sandy cried. Someone came up behind her and put their paw on her mouth. Sandy tried to look behind her, but they had their arm around her neck and she realized what had happened. "Be quiet," the person said. "This is Number 7 reporting for duty."  
Number 7 lifted Sandy up to her feet and started carrying her. "Maxwell!" she screamed and realized he couldn't hear her. "Where's Maxy?" Sandy demanded. Number 7 remained quiet. "Sandy!" Maxwell screamed. He sounded like someone was on top of him. Sandy passed by him and noticed Maxwell was under two Bad Hams. "I got the girl," Number 7 told the others. Maxwell looked up at her and Sandy noticed in his eyes, he was saying, "I'm sorry I let you down."  
  
With Jingle and Panda...  
  
Jingle and Panda had settled beside the river. They used the leaves Bijou had used for her bed before the Bad Hams had got her and made cushions. "I wonder how the rest of the Ham-Hams are doing," Panda said as Jingle played a song for Panda. Panda had cut wood and had a fire aflame. He hummed to Jingle's tune to try to relax his tenseness.  
Jingle stopped abruptly during his tune. "What's wrong?" Panda shouted and regretted shouting. Number 14 and Number 15 grabbed Panda and forced him to the ground. Number 5 and Number 6 had got Jingle to the ground and broke half the strings on his guitar. Panda grabbed a stick from the fire and tried to fend off Number 14 and Number 15. They snatched it from his hand and put it in his face. He twisted and jerked and fell to the ground. Panda sprained his ankle and tried to get up. He only fell back down and almost broke it that time. Panda knew it was over for him when they knocked him in the back of the head with a blunt stick.  
Jingle was still in the struggle when Panda had fallen. Number 14 and Number 15 had then turned on him and started beating him on the head with the stick. Jingle's hair softened it and they noticed. The thing he was worried about was his guitar. Jingle made sure it was on him tight before he dropped to the ground knocked out cold from a blow in the rib cage. 


	32. Scared and Worried

With Hamtaro, Caitlin, and Oxnard...  
  
Hamtaro, Oxnard, and Caitlin had heard Maxwell and Sandy when they were caught. "I wonder if Panda and Jingle are OK," Caitlin muttered. Immediately after she said that, they heard Jingle's cry for help. "That's Jingle!" Oxnard shouted. "Don't shout!" Hamtaro scolded. "Do you know what this means?" Caitlin questioned. "We're the only Ham-Hams that haven't been caught. And our owners are probably worried sick about us!"  
  
Back with Laura...  
  
"Mom," Laura muttered. "What's wrong? Didn't you find Hamtaro yet?" Mrs. Haruna asked. "No. It's past his time to eat and we would've found him already if he was home. He's probably gone forever," Laura sniffled. Mrs. Haruna sighed and said, "He'll come back. You just have to give him time. Remember that one time you lost him outside? He came back to you. It's called love. Hamtaro will come back eventually. He might want a little adventure. For now, it's your bedtime. It's time to go to bed."  
  
With Hamtaro...  
  
Hamtaro was sitting down next to Caitlin after a few minutes. Oxnard was asleep in front of them snoring like a thunder storm. "Caitlin," Hamtaro asked, "do you figure Laura's worried about me?" "Of course she is," Caitlin replied sleepily.  
Hamtaro heard something like footsteps. Caitlin appeared to hear them too. "They hear Oxnard," Caitlin whispered to Hamtaro. "They know where we are. Let's sneak away from here." "What about Oxnard?" he asked. "We'll never get him away from here and we wouldn't be able to wake up!" "I know that," Caitlin replied. "Remember the saying, 'Each Ham for themselves'? That's how it is now. We either get away from here and let Oxnard fend for himself or we get caught and it's over for the Ham-Hams. Which do you choose?" "Get away from here," he remarked.  
Hamtaro looked back at Oxnard as Caitlin and he ran up a tree nearby. "We'll watch here," Caitlin said. "They'll suspect we'd not want to watch and run off somewhere. Just don't make any noises or sudden movements. That'll get us caught and the Ham-Hams are done for."  
Number 1, Number 2, and Number 3 were trying to find them when they saw Oxnard. "Do you figure the others got the other two?" Number 2 asked. "Yeah," Number 1 replied. "Sure they did," Number 3 remarked. Oxnard thought it was Hamtaro and Caitlin when they walked around him. "He's heavier than a human!" Number 1 shouted. Oxnard heard him and woke up immediately. He let out a scream and knew it was over. They jumped on top of his stomach and Oxnard let them know he was knocked out cold by a jerky motion of his head.  
Hamtaro watched in horror as they dragged his best friend away into the darkness. Caitlin noticed Hamtaro's reaction and said, "We couldn't have saved him in anyway. We would have to have a crane to get him off the ground. Now that was Number 1, Number 2, and Number 3 there that got him. They're probably twice as strong as us put together." "You're right," Hamtaro replied. "Let's go to sleep up here." 


	33. That Next Morning

In the morning...  
  
Caitlin woke Hamtaro up about three in the morning. "What?" Hamtaro queried. "I gotta go. Now. I can't stand to know this is the day and they got my one and only desire. We've got to go," Caitlin said seriously. Hamtaro picked himself off the ground and they started down the tree. They assumed the Bad Hams had gone in for the night.  
Hamtaro and Caitlin started down and looked at the different places the Ham-Hams had been. Where Maxwell and Sandy stayed, it was not too obvious. It was different where Panda and Jingle stayed. There was a fire that was still aflame and there were three guitar strings in the fire that had been thrown into it. "I guess Jingle got to keep his guitar because there are only strings," Caitlin muttered. The leaves that used to be cushions were shredded in small shreds from the scuffle. There was some blood on the ground where Panda had busted his nose and when Jingle had one of his teeth knocked out from a miss. The blow must've hit his mouth instead of his head.  
The two started to walk beside the river deeper into the woods. They saw the elegant house that Mike, Stella, and Stan had stopped at previously. "I wonder if they can give us directions," Hamtaro wondered and knocked on the door. The girl hamster opened the door and said, "I'm not going to go out-" "Please!" Hamtaro pleaded. "We need help desperately!" "Say, did Stan ask you out? Which way did he go?" Caitlin asked. "Who's he?" she asked. "Tiger-striped flirt that came by yesterday," Caitlin replied. "You mean he's bad too?" the hamster asked. "No...did someone by the name Mike and Stella come by?" Hamtaro asked. "Yes! A week and six day ago!" she shouted. "We're looking for them," Caitlin said. "If they get by us, the world will be doomed. Doomed I tell you. Doomed!" "In short," Hamtaro remarked, "they're gonna take over the world." The girl hamster pointed in the direction they were going and closed the door.  
Hamtaro and Caitlin darted down the way they were going. It was about four o'clock in the morning. They suspected the Bad Hams would get up at five. "We don't have that much time," Caitlin worried. "We'll get there in time," Hamtaro replied.  
Hamtaro and Caitlin got to the shady tree at four thirty. "There's the tree and the rock in the river," Hamtaro whispered. Caitlin walked up to it and looked around. "The Ham-Hams were overlooking the door in the front," Caitlin muttered to Hamtaro. "It's strange. I thought Pashmina, Howdy, Dexter, and Stan would have seen it."  
Hamtaro climbed the tree with Caitlin and they searched it thoroughly. "There's gotta be an entrance in the middle of the tree," Hamtaro said to himself. He came to the middle and, under a pound of leaves, there was the back entrance to the inside. Caitlin shoved him out of the way and jumped in.  
Hamtaro decided to stay behind a minute, but he came in when Caitlin asked him to. "If you hear anything, freeze or jump behind something if that's an option," Hamtaro acknowledged. Caitlin and Hamtaro looked around at the hallway and admired the sight. "Isn't it beautiful?" Caitlin exclaimed. "I know," a voice said. "I think it is."  
Hamtaro turned around and realized something was lurking in the darkness. Caitlin pressed up against his back and said, "I dunno who it is, but I don't like it." Hamtaro looked into the darkness and realized who it was. The silhouette was a small size that was delicate. The white could be seen. It formed around four enormous spots. It stepped out of the darkness and they both knew who it was... It was Stella. 


	34. Confronting Stella

"I never thought you'd come to me," Stella hastily retorted. "I've always wanted to prove myself to Mike. No one can get by me. Even if I am a little slow. You'll meet your doom now, and that'll be final. Mike will be so grateful, he'll treat me more like an independent Bad Ham. I've always wanted to take on someone by myself without Mike around. And I figure that's why you came. You really shouldn't try anything on me or I'll really hurt you. I'm way stronger than your former leader." "You're kidding!" Hamtaro shouted. "It's not former! It's forever!" "Heh," Stella retorted, "I guess you still think that will be in effect. Mike's gonna stop it today. In about...ten minutes. I think you should just submit before I really hurt you."  
Caitlin tried to see a way around her but realized there was nothing to do and nowhere to go. Hamtaro was different. He replied, "I don't think so. You're just Stella. Not Mike or anyone else." "Do you think that matters?" Stella feuded. She got really mad at the remark enough to throw her fist into his stomach. Hamtaro gagged and punt her in the stomach with his foot. Stella didn't show any sign of pain and took him out quickly.  
Caitlin jumped on top of her and pried her off of Hamtaro. She rolled on top of Stella and started pounding her face. Stella started to scratch Caitlin's face and did her comeback with her overwhelming power. "Go on, Hamtaro," Caitlin whispered as Hamtaro ran away from her and Stella.  
Hamtaro darted down the hallway and realized if it weren't for him, the Ham-Hams would have been extinct that very moment. He ran for what seemed to him to be a mile. Hamtaro was pretty lucky. He was the last Ham- Ham left. If he was caught, the Ham-Hams were as good as over with. I hope everyone's OK, Hamtaro thought as he raced down the corridor. It was about five o'clock. "Uh-oh," he whispered, "I better get out of here." "You better..." a voice muttered in front of him. It was the worst horror he could think up... It was Mike. 


	35. The Decision Made by Boss

"What?" Hamtaro shouted. "If you would just leave us alone, I wouldn't be here!" "Ahh," Mike condescended, "are you gonna cry? Better luck next time, kid. Your time is up. You might as well just bow down and kiss my feet. This time you might as well think of it as being lucky. I'm gonna keep ya this time. But next time you get in my way, you're gonna be down on the ground and-" "Shut up!" Hamtaro screamed. He had lost all his nerve. Mike smacked him and said, "What? Shut up? Why don't you? I'm your new master, Hamtaro."  
Hamtaro realized Mike's words were backing him up. He was going to tell him he was a coward, but Hamtaro couldn't bear to say it. Mike grabbed Hamtaro by the arm and dragged him to where the rest of the Ham- Hams were. They were in a big room that had a bullet-proof window. "Watch," he muttered and closed the door.  
He knew it was all over. This was the end of the Ham-Hams.  
  
With Mike and Stella...  
  
Mike proudly walked down the hallway. Stella had her arm laced with his as they walked down. "I'm really looking forward to this day," Mike told Stella. "I'm going to, too," Stella replied. She wasn't truly sure if she wanted to watch.  
They came to where Boss stayed and Mike opened the door. Boss was staring at the ceiling and didn't realize they had come to make the decision. "Good morning, time's up," Mike retorted. He inched upward and realized the time was ripe. The three weeks were up.  
Boss was followed by the two into the room next to the Ham-Hams. The window was what connected the two rooms. The room he was in was dark, unlike the rest of the rooms he'd seen in the place.  
"Tell me," Mike started. It was time for a decision to be made. "What do you plan to do? Are you going to be my secondary assistant and not watch the world meet its doom? If so, shake my paw. If not, you'll be my assistant, whether you like it or not, and watch the world meet its doom. Which do you prefer? To do the handshake or not to do the handshake. That is the question."  
Boss looked back at the Ham-Hams and back at Mike and Stella. He knew if he did the shake, they'd lose his trust and his world would fall apart. If he didn't, Mike would make his life miserable and he couldn't do anything about it. Either way, Mike was going to make Boss be his assistant. There was nothing left to do.  
Hamtaro watched Boss as he tried to make a decision. Do it and get it over with, Hamtaro thought. Don't watch everyone meet doom. Remember the saying, 'Each Ham for themselves.' Do just that. Do what's best for you.  
Boss knew what Hamtaro was thinking. Hamtaro's right about it, he thought. Each Ham for themselves. I hope the rest of the Ham-Hams know this...but I've nothing else to do.  
Mike was really impatient about it. "Are you going to or not?" he demanded. Boss looked up into Mike's hostile and penetrating stare. It was hard to decide. He didn't want to shake hands with someone so cold and harsh. Boss wanted to stand there forever and never have to think about it.  
He then realized if he didn't have a decision in a few minutes, Boss would have to watch the world come to doom. He didn't want anything to happen if he didn't do the handshake, but he knew it'd cost him dearly. Boss looked back and forth for a long while. It was either do it or not, so he made the decision.  
Boss shot out his paw and shook Mike's paw. Mike did his grin and started to laugh his hideous laugh. Boss didn't realize it was the end of him, too.  
  
THE END 


End file.
